SweetieBelle and ButtonMash are preparing to be parents for their first foal.With Sweetie's new emotions,and ButtonMash's work schedule,can the two do it?Fortunately,they have friends and family on their side.Warning:May contain sexual, bloody topics
If it wasn't obvious enough, you should definitely read the first story, My Player Number Two and then the sequel A Wedding to Remember this is the third story, and I highly advise you to read the first two first. (My Player Number Two is the first story.)
Sweetie Belle and Button Mash have been married for four years now. They're now preparing to become parents for their first foal. But with Sweetie Belle's new emotions, and Button Mash's paranoia, can the two do it? Fortunately, they have help from their friends and family. Filled with emotional heartbreak, and happiness, read along as these two prepare for an experience that they will never forget. WARNING: May contain sexual content, and blood, though highly unlikely. Read for yourself. I'll leave it on Teen anyway.
"Cheers." Button said as he held up his glass of wine.
"Cheers." Sweetie replied absent mindedly. Button took notice of how his wife didn't look happy.
"Are you ok?" He asked out of worry. "Our fourth anniversary wouldn't be the same without you happy as you deserve to be."
"Huh? Oh yeah, I love this anniversary. Better than the last." she replied flatly.
"You look like something is bothering you." Button said knowingly. Sweetie Belle looked like she had something on her mind ever since Pinkie's daughter had her third birthday not too long before then. Ever since, Button found her daydreaming and constantly looking out the window to where little fillies and colts played.
"It's nothing." Sweetie said quickly.
"Tell me, please," Button asked with a smile.
"It's not important," Sweetie said as she looked to the side and cracked a smile.
"Please?" Button asked as he leaned over the private table to her.
"We don't need to talk about it." Sweetie said as she giggled and slightly blushed.
"Pretty please with cotton candy on top?" Button said giving her a puppy dog stare. Sweetie giggled at how Button acted like a pleading child.
"Fine, but let me finish my cheesecake." Sweetie Belle giggled as Button returned to his regular expression.
'How could I tell Button? What if he says no? Or what if we're not ready for a foal?' Sweetie kept thinking as she ate forkful by forkful of the cheesecake the chefs made for the two. They were in Manehattan, where they've spent the past week for their anniversary. They were sitting outside of the town on a ferry.
Button was anxious for Sweetie Belle to finish, each time she dug her fork into the sweet treat, he was becoming more and more impatient. Finally, Sweetie Belle finished, and wordlessly, she walked to the edge of the boat with Button hot on her tail.
Sweetie Belle sighed. "Button?" She said while looking away.
"Yes Sweetie?" Button Mash replied.
"I... wanttohaveababy." Sweetie said too quickly for Button to catch.
"Come again?" Button said teasingly.
"I... want to have a baby." Sweetie said. She didn't look up from the roaring waters. When she received no reply, she looked up at Button Mash, who had a poker face.
"Button?" She asked worriedly. 'Did I break him?' She thought. She then found the ground move from underneath her as she was swept off her hooves causing her to blush knowing it was Button.
"What are you doing?" She asked as he set the surprised and blushing Sweetie Belle down.
"I was starting to wonder if you would never ask!" Button said with a smile.
"You mean you want to have a foal? You really think that we're ready?" Sweetie asked as she stepped closer and looked up at him.
"I think that we'll be able manage." Button said.
"Ok, but we need a plan. We need to prepare at home, learn how to properly care for a foal, everyone must be told about our new decision, and-" She was stopped as Button grabbed her; causing her to blush again, and slowly spin her around as he lead her into a slow dance.
"You talk too much." Button said as he looked down to his blushing wife. Sweetie smiled and went along with the movements, glad that she could truly enjoy the rest of her vacation now that those words were off her chest.
Button and Sweetie Belle walked back into the suite they were currently in. "Ok, now if we're going to be parents, we'll need baby clothes, a crib, bottles-"
"Whoa Sweetie Belle, you're forgetting one detail."
"What's that?"
"Your tour remember?" Button reminded her.
"That's right! How did I ever manage to forget? Now our plans are going to be delayed for the next three months! What am I going to do?"
She said while pacing back and forth across the room.
"Calm down, don't worry about it. If we can wait four years, we can wait for three more months." Button said while comforting his wife.
"I just want to have a baby, to be a parent, I just really want to." Sweetie said as she looked down.
"We'll figure something out, now let's continue with the rest of the vacation." Button said.
Sweetie and Button were in their house, where Sweetie had just come back from her tour three weeks before. Button woke up and realized that she wasn't with him. He quickly got out of bed to find Sweetie Belle in the bathroom.
"Don't come in!" Sweetie said after hearing a knock on the door. Button came in anyway.
"Through sickness and in health Belle," Button replied, crouching down in front of her. Sweetie smiled at how Button used his nickname for her.
"I just got sick, that's all. It must be something I ate the other day." she said dismissively.
"Do you still feel sick?" he asked.
"No, I think that I'm going to go to the store though." Sweetie said, leaving Button in the bathroom wordless and curious.
"I'll take this." Sweetie said to the store clerk. The clerk didn't seem to find it strange that Sweetie had just bought a pregnancy test and only asked for money. Sweetie Belle felt relieved that she didn't ask her about it.
Sweetie walked home slowly taking the scenic route as she tried to avoid showing how excited she was.
"Hey Sweetie Belle, what's up?" Scootaloo, who swooped from above said.
"Oh, I'm just taking some errands home, you?" she asked as the pegasus walked with her.
"Nothing really, still practicing with the Wonderbolts and all, and still trying to get used to the married life. How's Button doing?" she explained.
"He's fine," Sweetie replied. The two mares walked and talked until their destination came into view. Before flying off, Scootaloo asked Sweetie if she could join her and Apple Bloom for lunch in the park.
"That would be wonderful." she said, She then stepped into the house where she found Button Mash sitting on the couch.
"Hey Sweetie Belle, where've you been?"
"I went to the store to get something, remember?" Sweetie asked with a smile, hiding the item behind her back.
"Oh, yeah. Hey, you want to play Minecraft?" Button asked as Sweetie quickly took a turn for the bathroom.
"Yeah, sure."
Sweetie Belle stared at the test in the sink. 'Is it true?' she thought. 'Can it really be true? Am I really seeing a plus sign right now?' Sweetie then smiled and decided that she would tell Button on his birthday next week.
"Button, which mod do you want to play?" she asked as she walked back to the couch.
"Any." Button replied as he plugged in the gaming system.
"Hey guys," Sweetie Belle said, sitting on the blanket. "Sorry I'm late, I got a bit too caught up in Minecraft." she explained with an embarrassed blush.
"Don't worry about it." Apple Bloom assured her. She took out an apple pie, which made Sweetie Belle's mouth water.
"Are...you ok?" Apple Bloom asked splitting the treat into thirds.
"Huh? Oh yeah." Sweetie said as her eyes followed the pie a it was passed around. She was painstakingly last. When her friends noticed how quickly she ate it, they showed clear signs of worry.
"Are you ok Sweetie? You eating at home?" Scootaloo said as Sweetie Belle licked up the last of the ice cream that was on it.
"Oh, never better." she said as she looked inside the basket and pulled out a salad, which she devoured just as quickly.
"Ya mind tellin' us what is going on?" Apple Bloom asked. Sweetie looked up at her friends. And decided to tell them the good news.
"Girls, I'm pregnant!" Sweetie exclaimed.
The two mares were shocked at first, before they then burst with a bunch of excited questions.
"How long have you known?"
"Did you tell Button?"
"What about Rarity have you told her?"
"What's it like?"
More and more questions were thrown her way. "Girls, I'll tell you the answers later, but right now let's just keep it between us until Button's birthday." Sweetie explained.
"Wow! Ah' can't believe that you're going to be a parent! It feels just like yesterday that we were trying to get our cutiemarks. But look at us now, married and having kids, with the careers of our dreams." Apple Bloom said.
"I know! Isn't it exciting?" Sweetie Belle said.
"Congratulations, Sweets." Scootaloo said wholeheartedly.
"Thanks, you girls are the best." Sweetie said as she hugged them.
"Ya know, if you want the rest of what's in the basket you could just ask." Apple Bloom said as she saw Sweetie Belle's mouth watering.
"Thanks girls." Sweetie said while blushing and devouring whatever was in it.
Button walked into the darkened room and flipped on the light switch.
"Surprise!!!!" Everyone shouted, scaring the living daylights out of Button.
"Wow guys, this is amazing." Button said, looking around the room to find a videogame themed party. His mother came up to him and gave him a hug.
"I can't believe that my little colt is 26." She said. Button's dad, a unicorn with light yellow mane and light brown body walked up and gave his son a pat on the back. Button's brother, a light brown earth pony with light orange hair with a streak of yellow in it came up and ruffled his little brother's mane. Finally Sweetie came up to him and gave him a hug.
"Happy Birthday." She said as she gave Button a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Enough chit-chat, let's party! Pinkie exclaimed as she and her daughter shot party canons.(Her daughter using a miniature one.) Everyone thought it was adorable, so they didn't question where they came from.
And so the party continued. There was a pin the pickaxe on the pony Minecraft game, an Assassins Creed piñata, if it was game videogame related, it was there.
Finally came the moment of truth. When Button was receiving and opening gifts, Sweetie Belle gave him a card, not sure what else to give to Button. Inside where two plane tickets to go to a comic-con Button had longed to go to.
"Wow! Thanks Sweetie Belle, you're the best." He was given a glare from everyone in the room. "Of course it's not the best present, which I love as much as I love the others." He quickly covered up.
"That's not all." Sweetie Belle said. Everyone except the former crusaders; who had big grins on their faces, looked curious.
"What is it?" Button asked. He had clearly forgotten the week before. Sweetie took a deep breath.
"I'm pregnant." She said, loud enough for the whole room to hear. Everyone was shocked. Then they surrounded the couple and gave their congratulations. The foals asking a bunch of questions.
"When are you due?" Rainbow's daughter asked.
"Do you know if it's a filly or colt yet?" Rarity's daughter asked.
"How long do we have to wait to see him?" Applejack's son asked.
"Hold on there, give her some space." Applejack said to the fillies and colts around them.
"This is all very exciting news. Congratulations Sweetie Belle." Twilight said as she plucked her Alicorn daughter up from the air.
"Thank you. And to answer your question, I'm supposed to be due in 11 months, I don't know if it's a filly or colt yet, and it might be a year before you can see the baby." Sweetie said answering all of the questions she heard.
"I can't believe that I'm going to be a grandmother again." Button's mother said excitedly.
"Neither can I." Sweetie Belle's mother, Cookie Crumbles said.
"I'm so excited! Being a mother is like the best thing ever, you get to have your own bundle of joy!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
"I totally agree with Pinkie," Rainbow Dash said as everyone else went back to their normal positions before opening the presents. "being a mom is like the coolest thing ever, but it isn't always easy." She said as she watched over her daughter.
"Congrats you two." Rarity said as she walked up to the couple. "I can't believe it, I'm going to become an aunt!" Rarity said across the whole room. Earning her several glares. She blushed and continued. "Just let me know if you need anything. And Happy Birthday brother-in-law." Rarity said as she gave Button Mash a hug. She then went back to Fancy Pants by the punch table.
"I can't believe it," Button said as he stared at Sweetie Belle.
"To be honest, neither can I." Sweetie said.
"This is the best birthday ever." Button said as he wrapped an arm around Sweetie Belle's shoulder.
"See you guys later." Button said as he waved to the last of the ponies. He then shut the door and started looking for Sweetie Belle. "Sweetie Belle?" He asked, 'Where had that mare gone off to?'
"In here!" Sweetie called from the kitchen. Button walked in and found her stuffing her face with a giant tub of ice cream. Button stared in surprise.
'How is she still eating when she ate six slices of cake and a plate of cookies?' Button wonders. Sweetie Belle spotted that Button was looking at her in shock.
"What?" She asked suddenly. "Never seen pregnancy symptoms before?" Button then caught himself.
"I'm sorry, it's been a while since I've last seen them." Button said referring to the symptoms his sisters-in-law had for their kids years ago. "To be honest, I don't know much about this stuff." He answered as he walked in and sat next to Sweetie Belle.
"We'd better get a doctor for this, we need to think about our foal's health. Oh, and sorry." Sweetie Belle said.
"For what?"
"I'm saying sorry in advance for when I'll be getting mad at you for getting me pregnant." Sweetie Belle said. Button gulped. The last time Sweetie Belle got really mad at someone, the pony couldn't move for a month. Button started to break a sweat.
"Let's just worry about now, and our foal's help." Button said nervously. Sweetie giggled.
"Don't worry, it's just symptoms. Soon it'll all be over before you know it." Sweetie assured giving a comforting smile.
'I sure hope so.' Button thought. Sweetie Belle giggled again at the face Button was making.
"Let's enjoy the rest of the day before we worry about me." Sweetie said before giving Button a kiss on the cheek. "Want to play Counterstrike?" She asked.
"You know me so well." Button said as he and Sweetie got up and walked out of the kitchen.
Button and Sweetie Belle were in the doctor's office and waiting for the nurse to call them. Around they saw several ponies, some ponies were there with kids, others were expecting foals of their own. Finally, after waiting for the longest time, Nurse Redheart called them in. Without hesitation, the two walked into the quiet cold room and waited for the doctor. Sweetie Belle sat on the bed.
"Are you ok?" Button asked, seeing the nervous look on Sweetie's face.
"Yeah. I'm fine, I just wish that they wouldn't have all of those creepy posters." She explained, looking at the posters of ponies with birth defects and all. 'What ever happened to a happy mood?' she thought. Eventually the doctor came in.
"Hello, Mrs. Belle," she said. It was purple mare with a sunny yellow mane. She had a heart with a stethoscope wrapped around it for a cutiemark. She then noticed her patient's nervous face and followed her stare to the posters. "Sorry about that," she said as she pulled the drawstring, causing the posters to roll up.
"Now, tell me what's going on." the pegasus mare said.
"Oh. well I'm pregnant." Sweetie Belle said.
"I know, you wouldn't be here if you weren't. I mean do you not feel well, do you feel sicker than usual?" she asked.
"I'm actually not sure, that's why we came here. I want to know if anything is wrong." Sweetie said.
"You made a good choice to come here as soon as possible, but are you sure you're pregnant?" she asked.
"Yes, I took a test, I get morning sickness, I get cravings, the usual. Though not as strong as I've seen it." Sweetie said.
"Well just to make sure, we're going to take a series of different tests to make sure you and your baby are ok. Got it?" the mare said.
"Yes, thank you doctor." Sweetie said. The doctor walked out to get a nurse, who ran the test with Sweetie Belle while Button talked with the doctor.
"Mr. Mash, do you know about the symptoms of pregnancy?" she asked.
"To be honest, not really."
"All you need to worry about now is the first trimester, and the symptoms, you already know about the nausea and all, but there's also sharper senses of smell, fatigue, change of mood, dry eyes and/or changing vision, headaches, and she may be literally breathless in some situations, do you have it all down?" she asked Button, who was writing like crazy on a sheet of paper.
"Yes doc, anything else?" he questioned, looking up from his notes.
"I'll talk about the personal things later with Sweetie Belle, right now she should be done with the tests, we need to assure that what she says is true, and if it is, that her baby is as healthy as it can be at the moment." she said, giving Button her signature smile.
"Thank you Doctor," Button said as he turned to Sweetie Belle.
"Button! The nurse said there's a great chance that we'll be parents! Oh, I can't wait!" Sweetie said with a burst of excitement. She started skipping in place. 'Change of mood' Button remembered as he saw Sweetie's mood change from normal to excited dramatically fast.
'It's gotta be true.' Button thought. Several minutes later, the doctor came in with the nurse and results.
"Mr. and Mrs. Mash, congratulations." Doctor Healing Heart said.
"You mean it?" Sweetie Belle said. The doctor nodded and smiled.
"Yay!" Sweetie cheered. She noticed everyone around her staring. "Thanks doctor." Sweetie said redeeming herself.
"Though I need to talk to you about the symptoms, Sweetie nodded and followed thee mare out of the room. The nurse decided to give Button a pamphlet about the symptoms of the fist trimester.
"That there should help you with any questions you have." the nurse said. " And be sure to come back in a few weeks, got it?"
"Thanks," Button Mash said. Sweetie Belle then motioned for Button that it was time to leave. "See you later." Button said. The nurse nodded and giggled.
Button Mash and Sweetie Belle were at home, and it had been a little over a month since they found out the good news. However, Sweetie found that it had it's ups and downs. She always had to go to the bathroom, her 'morning' sickness would happen several times a day, and she always got tired quickly. She had no clue how to surpass her emotions without yelling at Button, she needed to find a way to get used to them, so she went out in search of her sister and her friends.
"Where are you going?" Button asked, looking up from the pamphlet.
"I'm going to see my sister and her friends, I'm having trouble getting used to these new emotions." Sweetie said. Button recalled how when Sweetie asked him a question and he ended up with a lamp just missing his head early that day. And when Sweetie asked if she was getting fat, Button had to spend the following three days at Sweet Apple Acres. And worse situations.
"You want me to come with you?" he asked.
"No thanks, I won't be gone that long." Sweetie Belle said as she walked out into the autumn day. There were trees full of green and yellow leaves. Showing signs of the early August month. Sweetie Belle walked to her sister's house, since it was the closest. After trotting for a few minutes, she approached the door and knocked.
"Sweetie Belle, what a pleasant surprise." Rarity said.
"Hi Rarity." Sweetie Belle said as Rarity walked to the side to let her sister in.
Rarity came in after her sister and sat on the sofa next to Sweetie Belle. "What's bothering you?" she questioned. "Is everything ok?" Rarity said.
"Yes, I just have a question, how did you get through with your pregnancy?" Rarity didn't expect that question. She was a bit hesitant before answering,
"I don't think that I'm the best pony to ask." Rarity said. She then looked at Sweetie's puppy dog eyes. "Fine." she sighed. "After finding out the good news, I had an awful time with it, my hooves hurt, my headaches and back hurt terribly, and it wasn't the best. Although, I had a few tricks that helped." Rarity said.
"What are they?" Sweetie asked eagerly.
"You can walk to help you lose the weight, and try to eat as healthy as possible. If vegetables make you sick, eat fruit as much as possible, and eat plenty of yogurt if milk makes you sick. And drink plenty of water. And from what I learned, if you don't eat in big amounts, you won't get so sick all of the time." Rarity said.
"What about the headaches, or how I sometimes feel like I can't breath?" Sweetie Belle said.
"I would suggest laying down, for the headaches, but not on your back, just get as comfortable as possible and sleep when you can." Rarity said.
"What about my emotions?" Sweetie Belle said. Rarity giggled and blushed.
"I know that I shouldn't be the one to answer that question, you might want to ask Fluttershy that one." Rarity said.
"Well thank you, I'll see you later." Sweetie Belle thanked, already heading to the door.
Sweetie walked for a few minutes before thankfully seeing Fluttershy in the park instead of her far off home. She was there with her six year old Zany and her baby filly Perplexity.
"Hello Sweetie." Fluttershy greeted as she looked up from her young draconeques son.
"Hello Fluttershy," Sweetie Belle replied
"How are you and Button?" Fluttershy asked, holding up her hoof for a ladybug to land on.
"Everything is great, except for the fact that I threw a lamp near him, where's Screwball?" Sweetie answered, looking around for the eight year old.
"Oh, she's at home practicing her magic with Discord." Fluttershy said, pretending she didn't hear the lamp part.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Why, of course, what do you need?"
"How did you deal with your first pregnancy?" Sweetie asked curiously.
"Oh it wasn't the best feeling in the world, however, whenever something was wrong, Discord would always be there to help me. And I learned that too much sugar would make the baby jittery. So I would suggest fruit instead of ice cream all of the time." Fluttershy said, her daughter starting to giggle as the lady bug landed on her nose.
"How did you deal with the emotions? You know, before taking it too far especially-"
"Anger?" Fluttershy answered. Sweetie nodded.
"It depends on your personality and what your partner has to say. But I learned that taking several deep breaths, and doing something that makes me happy let's you forget whatever you were mad about." Fluttershy said, her daughter stepping over to her and looked up at her mother.
"Thanks Fluttershy," Sweetie Belle said. She stood up from her sitting position.
"Oh, and Sweetie Belle," Sweetie turned around to Fluttershy. "I know that you'd make a great mother." Fluttershy assured. She then went back to Zany, who was running around and playing too roughly for Fluttershy's comfort.
Sweetie Belle nodded and headed to Pinkie Pie's house, where she received the same words and an offering for throwing a baby shower, which Sweetie gladly accepted. From Applejack, she was told that Button should help her through it and received a basket of sweet apples. From Rainbow Dash, it was plenty of rest and a healthy diet, besides exercising of course. And from Twilight she was told to plan ahead and to do what she loves most. There were a lot of the same things thrown her way, but Sweetie decided that a few of those tips would work.
On her way home, Sweetie thought about the upcoming months. 'This will be difficult.' Sweetie thought as fatigue started to pull at her. 'Button will have to help me with everything, like running our errands, helping me feel better, and putting up with my shortcomings. I should treat him better.' Sweetie Belle thought as she opened the door to her house. 'But I should rest first.' Sweetie said as she walked over to the couch, setting the apples down on the dining table first, and then collapsed on to the sofa; getting into a comfortable position on it. Then she let fatigue pull her into a dreamless sleep.
Button was in bed when heard someone call his name from the living room. Quickly recognizing it, he ran to the living room. And found the owner of the voice on the couch dazed and confused. "What time is it?" Sweetie Belle asked. Button glanced up at the clock.
"A quarter to midnight. Do you want to come to bed?" He answered. Sweetie nodded and set her hoof on the table. She then noticed the basket of untouched apples. Picking a few up with her magic, she let Button lead her too their bedroom.
The next few weeks were a lot easier for Sweetie Belle and Button Mash. Button would help Sweetie cook and run errands, he'd also give her back rubs whenever she complained about something aching. Things were going pretty good for the two, they even went shopping for supplies, like a crib, and changing table, and with planning what room the foal would have, along with what and where things would go in it. And Sweetie Belle was getting better control of her emotions, although it didn't mean she wouldn't get frustrated. When she wasn't in a good mood, she'd sing.
Whether it was a happy or sad song, she'd always feel better about whatever got her mad in the first place. During the third month, when she started showing, she'd sing out of nowhere no matter what mood she was in. The main theme of the songs would be about an angel coming into someone's lives, clearly it was about her baby. But it all changed on one day...
I was walking around the house one day, when I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. At first I thought that it was my baby's first kick, but it wasn't near my ribs, it was a sharp pain I felt. I looked down at the floor to find red blood staining the carpet.
"BUTTON!!!!!!!!!!!" I screamed. He came running and saw me trembling and standing in the blood.
"Call 911!!!!" I screamed. Button was already at the phone dialing. His shouts into the phone fading as I started to black out. The last thing I see a scared look on Button's face as the world starts to shift.
The scared look on Button's face, the world shifting, it all started to fade away until the Celestial plane; a place I've visited once before, took it's place. There was a little light brown unicorn foal running around and playing on the steady stars, I tried running to it, thinking it must be my foal, that I had to make sure it was at least ok. The foal didn't look at me, and only ran away. I started chasing after it, and soon I started gaining on it. We were nearing the end of the end of the star trail. It then hopped off of the stars, and grew wings that appeared from nowhere. The foal laughing all the while. It turned around, and I saw that it was like an angel, the angel that starred in my songs.
She had unmistakable green eyes, and a light pink and orange curly mane. She was my daughter; my angel. She flapped her tiny wings, and she started to fly. "No! Please come back!" She only giggled and flew higher. By the time I got to her, I only felt the cool touch of her wings as she flew higher and higher until she faded away in the starry sky, bringing all of the color and beauty with her. I felt like I was in nothing, I wasn't falling or floating, I was just in black nothingness; alone and daughterless. I sobbed until a flash of blue light showed off in the distance, revealing Princess Luna.
"I'm sorry for your lost , Sweetie Belle." she said. "But you must stay strong for Button. You may no longer have this angel, but you still have Button." I looked up to her.
"What if I'm no longer able to be a parent? What if we can never have a foal?" I choke.
"I may not know what will happen in the future, but I know, that you can't let this loss break you, your daughter is an angel, and is in a happy place. Be strong Sweetie Belle. Destiny will find it's way, and maybe, one day you will become a parent. The darkness started to swirl around her as a light shown through it, taking in Princess Luna.
"Be strong Sweetie Belle!" she called out as the darkness disappeared. Turning into a hospital room. I woke up in a hospital bed, an IV was strapped to m hoof. I looked around for Button to find him outside talking with two doctors.
"My baby," I say loud enough for them to hear. Button looks towards me and runs to my side.
"Sweetie Belle! Thank Celestia you're ok." he says as a happy tear falls on the sheets, staining it.
"The baby." I manage to say again, my voice cracked. Button looked down, as though he were hoping I'd avoid the question.
"Sweetie Belle..." he paused. He then began to talk again.
As I spoke, I noticed the pained expression on Sweetie Belle's face. Once I was done telling her the news I've been told, a few tears were flowing down her face. I expected her to start sobbing, but other than the few tears, she remained expressionless. A nurse came in.
"I sure do hope that this isn't a bad time, but there's a lot of ponies in the waiting room, and half of them are reporters, should I ask them to leave?"
"No," Sweetie said. "Tell them the truth Button, that we've been hiding our secret from the public the past few months, and the bad news." I stare at her.
"Are you sure?" she just nods. I start walking towards the door, and I already hear a bunch of reporters interviewing our families and friends. Good thing we told them to keep it a secret. That wasn't what bothered me though, it was the fact that Sweetie showed lack of any emotion. 'What is going on in her head?' I think, before I'm swallowed by a bunch of questions.
"Button Mash, is Sweetie Belle alright?"
"Is she sick?"
"Will she ever be able to sing again?" The questions were thrown at me one by one, getting more and more ridiculous each time.
"Calm down everypony, Sweetie Belle is fine, she was just inured, that's all."
"Can we talk with her?" A reporter asked.
"Sorry, but family and friends only." A nurse called. They all groaned.
"Why is she in the hospital?" One brown unicorn with a brown, pink, and blue mane with a purple bang asked. Her question silenced the whole room.
"Well..." I start. 'Tell them the truth' Sweetie's words came to mind. "She was pregnant, but something happened, and we lost the foal." Everyone stood in either shock, sadness, or they couldn't believe it. Our family and friends stood with tears in their eyes, Pinkie Pie especially showing waterworks.
The reporters were writing like mad in their notebooks. Some were asking a bunch of questions, while others showed they were sorry for the lost. One in particular had tears in their eyes.
Once they got what they needed, they walked out, some even shaking my hoof and others saying they were sorry. After they walked out, I walked up to our family.
"Is it true?" Rarity asked. I only looked down. That's when everyone truly started to cry. Rarity hugging her crying daughter close, and my mother hiding her face in my dad's fur. Pinkie Pie would've flooded the place if it weren't for Cheese comforting her. Fluttershy was hugging her son and daughter close as she, too hid her face in her husband. Sweetie's dad gave me a pat on the back to comfort me since my tears were flowing freely now.
"Can I see her?" Scootaloo said as she walked from Rumble to me.
"Sure, what about Apple Bloom?" I reply. She walks up to me, her ears drooping.
"Lead the way." Apple Bloom said.
We walked in silence to the room, neither of them saying a word. Finally, we walked to Sweetie Belle's room, who's happy to see her life-long friends.
"Girls! I'm so happy to see you guys. The mares hug each other for the longest time, and I leave to continue talking with our doctor.
"We're happy to see you're ok." Apple Bloom said.
"It's ok to talk about it." Sweetie, said knowing her friends.
"We're sorry to hear about your loss, we know how happy being a parent would make you." Scootaloo said.
"Thanks for worrying girls, but I'll be fine." Sweetie Belle said to them. "That doesn't mean that I'm not upset though, I just wish that my foal could've been ok too."
"Whatever you need, you have us and your family to help you." Scootaloo reminded her.
"And if it makes ya feel any better, we'll come to visit you everyday with a basket of double chocolate cookies." Apple Bloom said.
Sweetie wiped the stream of tears from her face and smiled a tiny smile.
"It's ok to cry you know." Scootaloo said reminding her of what she had learned. Ever since her mother had passed away a year before, with much persuasion from Rumble, she learned to be more open about her emotions.
"I know, it's just feel that I need to be confident. If I break down now, I don't think I'll ever be able to build myself up again. I'll ruin my own chances by convincing myself it was never meant to be. I just have to stay strong." Sweetie said.
"As much as Ah' know that that's true, you need to let out those emotions of yours." Apple Bloom said.
"I'll do it later. Thanks for visiting." Sweetie Belle said as a nurse came in to get the two.
"Remember what we said." Apple Bloom reminded, as she and Scootaloo went back to their husbands.
For the next two days, (The doctors kept Sweetie in the hospital to figure out the cause of the bleeding) Ponies came in and out. Sweetie's family, in-laws, friends, they all would come and go. Twilight and her friends would all bring their families to comfort Sweetie Belle. But not even Pinkie Pie could cheer her up. Finally the doctors told Sweetie what happened.
"You see ma'am, after you passed out, you eventually stopped bleeding, though you lost a fair amount of blood.
"But why did I start bleeding? I've read about the topic and a miscarriage usually doesn't involve blood." Sweetie Belle said.
"While that is correct, in your case, your foal shifted and seemed to have damaged an sensitive organ." The doctor said motioning to a chart. Sweetie could only nod to show she understood. After taking care of paper work, being told not to move to much our stretch out on her stomach, Button helped Sweetie Belle home. She didn't say a word.
Once they got home it was around noon. Sweetie went up to their room without a word.
"Do you want anything?" Button said knowing Sweetie was depressed. She shook her head and continued to their room where she didn't come out for the rest of the day.
It was getting late, so I climbed in with Sweetie Belle and she seemed to be asleep. I woke up once I felt her leave the bed and saw her close the door with her magic. I decided to follow her. I silently climbed out of bed and followed her to a room. I notice that it's the room we decorated for our foal. Sweetie closed the door behind her, but there was still a crack in it. I walk as silently as I possibly could and look through it. There, she sits on the windowsill looking out to the stars.
"Sweet angel of mine, where have you gone?
Why aren't you right here in my arms?
Where are your cool wings, and glowing smile?,
Where is that laugh worth my while?
"I would've been there to banish all of your fears
I would have been the one who'd wipe away your tears,
"I would've told you about happy stories at night,
And you could've filled my whole life with delight.
"I miss your happy joy that gave me happiness in my life,
I wish that you could be here for me to hug so tight.
I wish that you were here for me to kiss,
And in return, that I could fill your life with bliss.
"Sweet angel of mine where have you gone?
Why aren't you right here in my arms?
"Where is the angel I'm supposed to hold?
Where is the one who would make me smile, so big, and bright, and bold?
Where are your wings, so soft to the touch,
Don't you know that I love you so much?
"And though you may be happy up there,
I truly do wish that you were here.
That I could have another to see the stars in the sky,
That it could've been you dear angel of mine."
She finished her song as she starred into the purplish night sky, where a shooting star passed by. She closed her eyes, and whispered something, and looked into the sky again, tears reflecting their glow on her face. I can tell she was going to be there for a long time, so knowing that she needed to be alone, I walked back to the room, tears splashing on the pillow from her beautiful song.
The following weeks were tough for the couple, Sweetie Belle would always be found sitting on the edge of the windowsill, starring out at the sky as day after day, the sun would pass by over head. Button took notice of this and did his best to persuade her to come out. Once he saw that she hardly ate during their meals, and Button's pleading became more urgent for her to come out of the room.
"Sweetie Belle, I know that you're upset and all, but the doctor said that we could always try again, that the damage wasn't permanent. Please come out." He received no reply.
"Please come out for me Sweetie Belle, don't let this come between us." Button placed his head on the door. "Please..." He immediately felt the door move back and was thrown into the middle of the hallway as he felt arms wrap around his neck.
"I don't want this to come in between us, I just wanted to be strong for you, I didn't want to let this loss break me, I didn't want to cry in front of you, I see now that it only made the situation worse. I'm sorry Button." Sweetie Belle choked.
"It's ok Sweetie Belle, I don't mind if you cry, it's natural to do it. Just know that you can count on me to be your shoulder." He said as he hugged the crying Sweetie Belle.
"I'm sorry Button, I just wanted to be strong for you."
"You're the strongest mare I know, and you don't have to hide our feelings to be strong, I admit, I need you here with me to help me through tough situations, but I don't want you to suffer for it." Sweetie started to sob into Button's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She kept saying. Button was relieved that Sweetie Belle was finally letting out her thoughts, he feared that she would never let her emotions out, he knew that they would eat at her until she finally did something drastic. He was happy that he wasn't going to lose Sweetie Belle like he lost a foal.
"It's ok, I'm here now, everything will be ok." Sweetie continued sobbing into his shoulder while they just stood there, Sweetie completely getting her emotions out.
The following day the two were at home when they received a visit from their friends.
"Surprise!" They sang out as Button opened the door to see Scootaloo and Rumble with Pipsqueak and Apple Bloom.
"Hey guys, what's the big deal?" Sweetie Belle asked when she saw her friends wearing scarves in the late autumn day.
"We have a surprise." Scootaloo said. Sweetie looked at them and gestured for the group to come inside.
"I'll get some refreshments." Button said as he walked to the kitchen.
"Girls, what's going on?" Sweetie Belle said.
"Well, Pip and I are doing just fine at the farm, the cider sales will be through the roof this season." Apple Bloom said as she took of her red and orange scarf.
"And Wonderbolts training is as intense as usual, and I'm still making the routines as usual." Scootaloo said.
"That's nice, I have a show in Manehattan next month, I was hoping that during that weekend we can visit Babs." Sweetie Belle said.
"That'd be awesome! Thanks." Apple Bloom said as she took a cup of tea from Button Mash.
"So what's the big surprise?" Button asked as he sat next to Sweetie Belle. Rumble and Scootaloo looked at each other. They seemed to be having a wordless dispute about who would tell the good news. Finally Scootaloo gave up and decided to tell Sweetie Belle.
"Well, I'm pregnant. I figured out a few days ago." Scootaloo said.
"That's great Scootaloo! Congratulations." Sweetie Belle said.
"That's not all," Apple Bloom said. Sweetie looked at her.
"What's the other surprise?" Sweetie asked.
"I'm pregnant too. I found out a few weeks ago." Apple Bloom said.
"Wow girls, that's great!" Sweetie Belle said.
"Congrats guys." Button added.
"Do you have any honey?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Let me go get it." Sweetie said.
For the next few hours, the bunch caught up with each other and what had been going on recently in their lives. Pipsqueak and Apple Bloom saying they were living in there own house now in the orchard since the farm was getting bigger. Rumble and Scootaloo saying that they were going to move into a cloud home instead of staying in Cloudsdale. Soon, it was getting late and the bunch went home to rest for the night.
"I can't believe that my best friends are going to be parents together."
"Is it just me or does it seem like a really big coincidence that they're both pregnant?" Button asked.
"I guess so, but maybe or foals will be cutiemark crusaders. There's only a few months difference between me and my friends. I guess that it's just destiny." Sweetie Belle said as she headed to their room.
Within the few weeks after, Sweetie Belle would constantly visit her friends' houses whenever she got the chance. Apple Bloom would ask how to deal with the headaches, while Scootaloo would rant on and on about how she's not sure if flying would be a good way to travel until her foal was born. But then complain on how not flying would make her uncomfortable. And when she heard Rumble giggle at this, the next day Sweetie found him with a bandage on his head.
"Wha-" She began.
"Don't ask." He said. He then jumped when he saw Scootaloo enter the room as well.
It wasn't until later in the week that week that Sweetie Belle had to check back in with the doctor to make sure she had healed that she received the greatest news.
"Well, I have good news and bad news Mrs. Mash." The pegasus said.
"What's the good news?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"You're going to be a parent, congratulations."
"That's great news! How could it be bad?" The mare looked down, she hated this part of her job, giving the heart-breaking news that something bad was going to happen. That was the thing she didn't like about her job, she loved to see the smiles on ponies faces when they were healthy, to be the main cause for that happiness. But it was this part of her job, a part that she had to approach many times before; that still brought her to tears when she saw the once beautiful smiles disappear as tears took their place. It could be telling a parent their foal was very sick, or explaining to a father why his wife didn't make it through a birth, even after those years of experience, it still kept her up at night wondering what she could've done to stop it, and how to prevent it from ever happening again. At this very moment, she will have to tell the heart-breaking news to the now lively and optimistic mare.
"...that your foal has a slim chance of making it through the pregnancy. And if it survives, there's a small chance that it could take your life as well since the damage was a bit more severe than we thought." I looked down. Her ears drooped as I told her the unfortunate news.
"What can I do to make sure my foal stays alive?" She asked confidently. I give her a prescription and tell her to get plenty of rest, and not to move or stretch out on her stomach.
"Doc?" she asked before leaving.
"Yes?" I ask looking up from the clipboard.
"Can we keep this between you and me, just for now? I don't want my husband to worry about me." I smile and nod.
"Of course." I say. The mare leaves hurriedly and I glimpse at my cutiemark. I make ponies healthy, 'I make them smile after I take away their pain.' I look out after the mare, 'Whether it's emotional or physical.'
Sweetie Belle went out again; careful not to walk too quickly and headed to the farm. She was nearly ran over by the current Crusaders, who had adopted the club's traditions, the original crusaders were allowed to come in at any time and were addressed as 'Cutiemark Seniors' But she wasn't there for the club, no, she was there to see Apple Bloom who was tending to the clubhouse structure.
"Hey Sweetie, ya need somethin'?" she asked, spitting out the nails she had in her mouth.
"I wanted to tell you some great news." Sweetie Belle said as she motioned to the pregnant mare. Apple Bloom came down. Sweetie Belle saw several pairs of curious eyes staring from the windows and behind the door. And heard some giggles and chuckles from behind the shutters.
"I need your help with something big at home." Sweetie said playfully. Apple Bloom caught on and joined in.
"Ok, let's keep it between you and me, I won't tell anypony, I promise." Apple Bloom said. Sweetie chuckled when she heard little gasps from behind the door and smiled when she saw the little pairs of eyes go inside.
"Ok, the truth is that I'm pregnant again, and I want you to come with me to tell Scoots." Sweetie whispered. Apple Bloom silently gasped and covered her mouth as a big smile appeared.
"Ok let's go," Apple Bloom said. She smiled when she saw the crusaders come out again from the corner of her eyes.
Scootaloo poked her head over the cloud where she heard the little shouts. "What's going on guys? I was taking a nap." Scootaloo said as she hung her arms of the edge of the cloud. Sweetie noticed a giant bush moving a little to the side.
"We need your help with something, did you tell Rainbow Dash about the big surprise yet?" Sweetie called up.
"Nope."
"Ya mind helping us with our important project then?" Apple Bloom said. Scootaloo looked confused until she saw Apple Bloom nod her head slightly to the bush and Sweetie Belle wink. Scootaloo realized the current Crusaders were there and probably trying to get detective cutiemarks.
"Sure, I'll be right down there just give me a sec." Scootaloo momentarily left and when she appeared again, and flew down to her friends. The former Crusaders giggled once they saw the bush move back to it's original place. And saw a red cape hop behind a plant pot.
The mares all giggled and tried to look as suspicious as possible. "Looks like we've got some followers." Sweetie whispered with a smile. They headed to Pinkie's house, and Apple Bloom was milking it a bit when she stuck her head out to as though she were looking for someone. Then closed the door suspiciously. The mares giggled again.
Pinkie Pie came from upstairs holding her daughter Cupcake. The little filly got her name since her mane represented a cupcake with sprinkles in it. Although the sprinkles came from the sprinkle jar Pinkie had for baking that the little filly managed to get in.
"Hello girls, I'm guessing you wanted me to do that secret?" Pinkie Pie asked. The mares nodded.
"Pinkie Pie, you never fail to get it right." Scootaloo said.
"I'll gather the girls and meet you at the house in a hour!" Pinkie said. Her daughter giggled when she saw her brother poke his head in from the window. And pointed.
"Cheesy!" She said. The mares giggled.
"No, Cupcake, you brother is out Crusading." Pinkie said.
The mares headed toward Sweetie Belle's house.
"Ah' need to get Pip, I'll see ya'll in an hour." Apple Bloom said, before they parted ways.
"I'll go get Rumble, see you in a bit, Sweetie Belle." Scootaloo said. Sweetie Belle walked home. And heard little tiny hoof steps. She continued casually forward, making a few abrupt stops to tease the foals following her. She eventually made it home, where she approached Button Mash.
"Hey Button, "She said as she kissed his cheek.
"What's the occasion?" he replied.
"We're going to have company over soon, and I'm feeling really tired, so can you please tidy up?" She asked.
"Sure. Anything else?" he asked.
"No, I'm just going to take a short nap, I've been walking all day."
An hour later, Pinkie Pie arrived with Cheese, her daughter, and a party cannon. "Let's do this!" Pinkie said. She activated her party canon and decorations appeared everywhere that had a big 'Congratulations!!!' On them.
"What are those for?" Button Mash.
"Whoopsie! Guess I used the wrong decorations." Pinkie Pie said with a grin. The door bell rang. "Too late to change them."
Sweetie Belle went over to the door and opened it to find Scootaloo, Rumble, and Rainbow Dash's family with three other pegasi.
The first she recognized as one of the Wonderbolts, Phoenix, he looked a lot like Spitfire, and had a mane and wings, that resembled fire. He definitely lived up to his name.
The second was an orange pegasus mare with a red and black mane that somewhat resembled Vinyl Scratch's. She had a ring on the tip of her ear that matched her silver eyes.
The third was a bluish-gray pegasus stallion with dark red and light gray short cropped mane and tail. He had light blue eyes.
"Hey, Sweetie, we brought a few friends of ours, you already know Phoenix, This is Rose Fire, and Nick." Scootaloo said.
"Nice to meet you three." Sweetie Belle said.
"It's nice to be here. "Phoenix said.
Sweetie Belle stepped to the side to let them all in. Rainbow Dash landed on the ground. Her daughter heading off to the candy table. "Hey Sweetie, thanks for welcoming us." she said.
"No problem."
Soon the doorbell rang again and Button opened it to see Fluttershy and Rarity's families.
"Hello Button Mash, thanks for inviting us." They carried three gifts.
"You didn't have to bring gifts," Button Mash said.
"We don't mind," Fluttershy said as they walked in with their families.
The doorbell rang again and Button once again answered it, This time it was Twilight, Applejack, and Apple Bloom's families standing with them was a unicorn who was talking with Twilight. Button Mash remembered it being the unicorn from the hospital.
"Hey Button, congrats." Twilight said. They all walked in, the multi-colored maned unicorn who Button realized had a bit of red with the purple in her mane, came up with a notepad and camera.
"Hi, I'm Candy, I'm supposed to do a column about recent celebrity activity and I was wondering if you would let me stay for a while. Button thought about it.
"Sure, as long as you don't make up any lies, stay as long as you want." The unicorn walked around and asked questions as well as took a few pictures, she even had a few fangirl moments when she came across a few celebrities.
Button walked over to Sweetie Belle. "Sweetie Belle, what exactly are we celebrating?"
"Oh I have a new promotion for my singing career, so I asked Pinkie to help me celebrate." The mare lied.
"Ok then." he said.
Outside the current Crusaders were planning what to do.
"Maybe they're apart of some secret society, and everyone there is a member!" Screwball said.
"That's ridiculous!" Applejack's son said. "Maybe they're just trying to do somethin' important."
"Johnny's right," Twilight's daughter said. "They're just having a party."
"Whatever it is, we'll figure it out and get our cutiemarks!" Rarity's daughter said.
"And sweets!" Cheesecake said.
"Let's go then!" Rainbow's daughter said as she rushed to the door. Followed by the others. Their older siblings, looked at each other, shook their heads and followed them in. Knocking on the door, it was answered by Apple Bloom.
"Hey kids, where've you been?" she asked.
"Crusading for our cutiemarks of course!" Cheese cake exclaimed.
"Come on in, we're about to do the big surprise your aunt Sweetie Belle has."
The foals all looked at each other worriedly. Apple Bloom hid her smile when she saw their faces. Once inside, the children went around the room. Cheesecake at the candy table where he ate to his heart's contempt. The oldest of the bunch talked with each other as the younger Crusaders ran around the room.
After Cheerilee and Big Macintosh, along with her other friends, and her and Button's parents came in, Sweetie Belle stood and called for everyone's attention. "Attention everypony, I'd like to reveal the surprise." she said, standing on a step of the staircase.
She motioned her friends to her side and smiled when she saw a nervous or anxious look on the current Crusaders.
"We're expecting!" they said in unison.
The unicorn mare snapped pictures and wrote like mad. Especially making sure she had a few pictures of the look on Button's face. Many of them cheered and smiled, others stood in shock or disbelief, (current Crusaders) while many just congratulated them.
Button came up to Sweetie Belle and smiled. "This is really true?" he asked. Sweetie smiled and nodded. Out of nowhere, Button kissed her straight on the lips, and didn't seem to notice the camera taking several pictures. After a few short seconds he pulled back and smiled.
"You had this whole thing set up didn't you?" Button asked. Sweetie once again nodded and smiled.
"We were supposed to have our first baby shower today, but after... you know... and figuring out I was pregnant again, I asked Pinkie Pie to keep the party going. I have no idea where the gifts came from."
"Those are for the original shower, but of course I told everyone to bring their original gifts. It was just a hunch." Pinkie said everyone turning to her. Waving her hoof at the last few words.
Twilight smiled. "Oh Pinkie," she said.
"Can we continue with the party?" Cheesecake asked.
"Yes, let's do that." Sweetie Belle said.
Later that evening, everyone went home to rest for the night. And once again, thanked the young couple for inviting them. Pinkie Pie promising to throw Scootaloo and Apple Bloom a shower as well.
"Thanks for coming!" Sweetie Belle said as the last of her family went out. From behind her the reporter came.
"Hi, Sweetie Belle, can I ask a few questions? I need to interview you for a newspaper." she asked.
"Sure."
"Do you know when you are due?" She asked holding out a tape recorder.
"No I don't know the exact date, but I'm positive it's eleven months."
"Ok, how did you feel when you saw everyone's reaction after they heard the good news?"
"I felt really happy. I caught them off their guard. Especially Button."
"What do you think the foal will look like?"
"I honestly don't care, as long as it's my foal, I wouldn't care if they had dragon scales."
"Will this take most of the attention from your career?"
"Yes, I believe so, at least two years from any tours. But that doesn't mean I won't be writing any songs for my fans. I'll need to contact my manager."
"Ok, that's all I need, thank you very much." The unicorn mare said. She stood up from the table and left.
"Thanks for coming!" Sweetie called after her. She closed the door and looked up at the clock. 'I'd better take my medicine before I forget.' She walked into the kitchen and got a hold of a glass that she filled with water with her magic. She took a tablet from the container and quickly swallowed it with water gagging at the terrible taste. She then hid the container where it originally was.
'I'm doing this for you my angel.' She said looking down at her stomach.
Sweetie was awakened by a rapid knock on the door. Groaning, she slowly stood up on her hooves, followed by another round of rapid knocking. "Hold on!" Sweetie shouted. "I'm coming!" She swung open the door; angry at whoever in the name of Tartarus would bother her at this time. But her expression softened when she saw her life-long friend; fellow Wonderbolt, Scootaloo.
"Sweetie Belle! I need your advice!" The pacing mare said. Prancing in a way that seemed nearly impossible at such speeds.
"First of all, calm down. Second what's wrong?" Sweetie asked as she immediately started to feel weary. Scootaloo took a deep breath.
"Today is my first time not attending a Wonderbolt's show that I made a routine for. And I'm itching for my wings to flap." she explained.
"Why don't you do it then?"
"Rumble says that it may not be a good decision since it could cause physical damage to our foal, but I want to fly! What should I do? Could I need a spell or some medical treatment of some sort? Or maybe-" She stopped when the unicorn stuffed an apple she had levitated into her mouth. Stopping the talkative mare.
"Listen," Sweetie Belle said as Scootaloo took the apple and chewed whatever bit of it was in her mouth. Smiling at the sweet taste of the juicy treat. "You're over-reacting. Rumble's right for you to be gentle, but you can exercise as well, just sleep when you're tired and don't eat too many sweets, and you'll be fine. Now let me finish my nap please." Sweetie Belle stammered out.
The pegasus blushed and took another bite into the apple. "Ayihng els?" she said with a full mouth.
"Come again?" The pink and purple maned equine said, showing obvious signs that she was growing impatient in the doorway. Scootaloo swallowed.
"Anything else?" Scootaloo asked again.
"Make sure you have Rumble around when you start getting head aches or back pain." Sweetie Belle recommended.
"Ok, thanks Sweetie, I owe you one." The purple headed equine said as she slowly hovered above the ground; already taking Sweetie Belle's advice.
"No problem, just next time try to get Button if you need something." Sweetie Belle said before closing the door. Glancing at the clock, she went to the kitchen to take her medicine. As it was required to eat with meals or at 3-4 times a day. Sweetie let out and sigh as she felt a thankfully small headache come along. Ever since she announced she was expecting a month before, she'd get them everyday.
"I really hate these symptoms." Sweetie Belle said to an empty house before taking a gulp of the medicine, followed quickly by water. 'I wish that Button were here instead of buying groceries.' She thought as she sat back on the couch. She laid to her side and fell back asleep after taking a few of the sweet apples in the bowl on the coffee table in front of her.
Button winced as he saw his wife stir after opening the door to their house. She then resumed back to her regular smile. He silently blew a quick sigh of relief as he closed the door with his back leg. Walking into the kitchen, Button stored the goods away. Most being either ice cream, candy, or fruits, anything that was sweet or was Sweetie Belle's usual cravings. Button sighed at how urgently he had to go to the store since Sweetie ate mostly everything that was delicious.
He heard stirring, followed by groaning from the next room as Sweetie Belle rolled off of the couch. She called out for Button Mash. He turned around and said, "I'm here, do you need something?" he stated, stepping out of the kitchen.
"My head really hurts, did you get any ice cream by any chance?" She asked. Button chuckled.
"Yeah, I also got frozen yogurt for you." He smiled when he saw Sweetie come out of the kitchen levitating a big spoon and a gallon of frozen yogurt sprinkled with cookie pieces from the cookie jar. She smiled as she heard another knock on the door. Button went to go answer it while Sweetie Belle grabbed her laptop levitating the spoon and container with her magic and played an online video game in an unspoken agreement. Button found a blushing Rarity as she stood with her two children.
"Terribly sorry, but do you two mind watching Platinum Jewel and Jasper, it'll only be a few hours or so, Fancy Pants and I need to attend the Canterlot Boutique and the babysitter cancelled. Everyone else was busy, so..."
"It's ok Rarity, we'll watch them," Sweetie Belle said from the couch.
"Thank you so much, Sweetie. I really appreciate this." Rarity said. She kissed her children's heads and made them promise they'd behave.
"We promise." They said.
"Pinkie Promise?" Everyone paused when they saw a pink head pop out from a plant outside, Cupcake cradled in her arms and squinting with her mother.
"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" The children synchronized. Pinkie smiled.
"Okie-Dokie-Lokie!" her daughter cooed. Pinkie smiled wider and disappeared back into the ground.
"How did she-" Button began. Rarity looked up at him and said,
"That's just Pinkie Pie." she said. "I really must be running off now, I'll see you in a few hours!" Rarity called put, as she already started running home.
"Have fun!" Button called out after her. He closed the door behind the two young unicorns; who stared up at their uncle.
"What do we do now?" Rarity's daughter elegantly squeaked. The same accent from her mother, yet the same squeak from her aunt.
"We can play a videogame." Sweetie Belle said before Button could suggest.
"Dang it!" Button said as once again his own niece won first place in Mareio Kart. She giggled. "You're pretty skillful with your magic." He said complementing the seven year old. She blushed.
"Auntie Twilight likes to teach me magic, every once in a while I still get magic surges from the ground, though my horn always does it on it's own." she explained.
"How about you?" Sweetie Belle said to Jasper, who was sitting on the couch with her.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean do you do any magic? Can you do anything like that?" she questioned. The colt shook his head.
"No ma'am, I do take quite an interest to fashion though." he answered.
'Like mother, like son.' she thought as she looked at the lavender maned unicorn. She smiled.
"What about you? How are you Auntie Sweetie Belle?" he asked. Everyone turned to Sweetie Belle, who knew what they were referring to. She turned her head to look at her stomach.
"The foal is fine, I just miss the first one." she said. Her nephew sensed she was upset and kindly scooted up to her as a form of comfort. Sweetie smiled. I was supposed to get it the next day you know..." she said.
"Get what?" Button explained.
"When a pregnant mare is 5,7, and 9 months, they have to take medicine to keep the baby alive, unfortunately..."
The unicorn filly interrupted seeing her favorite aunt with a tear in her eye and immediately said; "I'm hungry, do you have anything we can eat?" she said.
Button stood up and went into the kitchen to prepare for dinner, it was around the time he and Sweetie usually ate anyway. He went into the kitchen to make tomato soup while Sweetie got to work on the one thing she couldn't burn, salad. Once she was done and the soup was brewing, they ate the salad at the dining table, which held four chairs. Finishing just in time for the soup to be done.
They ate in lively silence, not saying a word. Sweetie Belle saw her niece yawn, signaling she was tired. After dinner, she lifted the now sleeping foal into her bedroom, where she slept soundly. She shut the door and turned to the others.
"I'm going to get a drink of water," she said looking at the clock. Sweetie went into the kitchen, and came out a minute later to find Jasper playing Minecraft on Sweetie's laptop and speaking into the headphone set.
"Take that creeper!" he shouted. He looked up at Sweetie Belle who shushed him.
"You're sister is trying to sleep." She reminded him as she sat on the couch next to him.
"Sorry." he replied in his Canterlot accent. Sweetie smiled and levitated a pillow over to her head for her to lay on. She took deep breaths feeling like she couldn't breath every once in a while. Her nephew new she was ok though, having seen his own mom do it before, along with her friends. Soon, Jasper grew tired, and although he kept fighting the urge, his head eventually fell on his forelegs and he drifted off to sleep.
Sweetie smiled as she levitated her nephew into bed and fixed the blankets for him as he slept next to his sister. She shut off the light and left a crack in the door for Platinum. She trotted down stairs. "They're asleep." she said to Button, who nodded and went back to the game software he was making. Sweetie sat back on the couch.
"Do you think we'd make good parents one day?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"I hope so." Button thought as he leaned back in his chair. Sweetie groaned.
"You ok?" Button asked. Sweetie sighed.
"Just another headache, wow this one is worse than the last one. Speaking of symptoms, where's my yogurt?"
"In the freezer." Button answered automatically.
Sweetie disappeared and came back with the same tub of yogurt as before. "Man I miss milkshakes." she said before shoveling the frozen treat into her mouth. Button chuckled.
"Yeah, so do I." he switched off his laptop and sat next to Sweetie Belle on the couch. She pushed him away. "I feel a bit sick, so maybe later." she said. Button understood and scooted away. Fortunately, Rarity knocked on the door. Giving Sweetie Belle a chance to scoot away from Button since she was feeling sick around him.
"Thank you so much Sweetie." Rarity said after Sweetie opened the door. Seeing the light shade of green on her face she stepped inside to get her foals. "Where are they?" Rarity asked as she looked around the room for sleeping foals.
"In our room." Button said as he stood up to show her. Following close behind, she found her foals sleeping underneath the blankets. Rarity smile as she placed her daughter on her back and woke up her son.
"You two will make wonderful parents." Rarity said to Button as she walked cautiously out into the cool night.
The next day, Button Mash and Sweetie Belle were out to have a picnic at the tree where they met. Sweetie watched as little foals played around in the few leaves that fell to the ground and smiled at how playful they were. She the sighed and thought about her child; just as playful and mischievous. Button noticed the far away look on Sweetie's face and reached into the basket and pulled out two milkshakes.
"I know that it's not the season for it," He said catching her attention. "but you said you missed them." He said giving her the vanilla flavored treat. Sweetie Belle smiled and took it. "Thanks Button," she said as she took another long sip of the thick milkshake.
She looked at the tree and placed a hoof on it. "Just like your proposal." she smiled.
"Remember the wedding reception?" Button said. "Talk about drama."
"Well no one said there can ever be a wedding without family drama." Sweetie Belle said.
"Remember Spike?" Button said.
"Of course, I still feel bad about that though."
"There's nothing to be worried about, nothing bad happened." Button said.
Spike was at the refreshments table, watching from afar as Rarity danced with Fancy Pants, Fluttershy with Discord, Twilight with Flash, Pip and Apple Bloom where talking with their old friend Dinky. Everyone there was laughing and having a good time. Spike sighed as he placed his head in his claw, and swirled the ladle to the punch around. He suddenly heard a very familiar voice. "You ok, Spike?" a hesitant Sweetie Belle asked him. She looked at the purple dragon, with his sharp scales and black tuxedo. She was glad that her friend could come to her wedding.
"I'm fine, just a bit tired." he lied.
"Well... ok, I really hope that you can enjoy the rest of the reception." Sweetie Belle said sweetly. Spike grew anxious, he had been avoiding the truth for ten years, and now was the worst time to say it, but he had to, it was as though it was destiny.
"Sweetie Belle?" he said to the mare as she turned around. He looked up at her. "I really am happy for you, and I'm glad that you invited me here as a friend, but the truth is, I've had stronger feelings for you ever since I told Rarity how I felt about her. But then she told me that she thought of me more as a brother, but that we could still be friends. After that, I realized that I've had a crush on you since Princess Cadence's wedding, but Rarity's was too strong for me too realize. To be honest, I still had feelings all this time." The dragon looked down expecting a scolding, a slap, and worse, disappointment. But none of which came. Instead he looked up to find a smile and understanding in her eyes.
"Truth be told Spike, I had a crush on you ever since the wedding too. But I never mentioned it since you had much stronger feeling for Rarity than with me, so, I had to learn to move on. I met Button, and now I'm the happiest mare in the world. It's your turn." Sweetie Belle said wisely. Spike was surprised at how much the mare had truly changed not only in appearance, but knowledge.
'She's really changed.' he thought.
Sweetie looked to see a dragon with pink hair and wings wearing a flame like dress.
"Who's that?" Sweetie Belle asked, turning her head to the familiar dragon.
"That's just Mina, she's an old friend of mine and I invited her here since she was really excited about it."
"Of course! How could I forget her? Do you think she's cute?" Sweetie Belle asked quickly in a rush of words. Spike sighed happily just as she went back to her usual self.
"She's pretty, especially her sapphire eyes." Spike said.
"Do you have a lot in common?"
"We love to talk about comics, and I write to her a lot." Spike said. "Why?'
"You should ask her out." Sweetie Belle grinned.
"What? No, I couldn't, it would just be-"
"You need to move on Spike, and now is better of a time than any." Sweetie explained.
"I can't do this." Spike said.
"Then she'll come to you. Hey Mina!" The dragon fixed her sapphire eyes on the two and walked over, it was too late to move now. "Spike here was just telling me about you, you must be a dear friend to him." she said.
"Oh yes, I love Spike, he's so funny and helpful!" The dragon said cheerfully. "Can I get your autograph?" she asked taking out a cd for Sweetie Belle to sign. Sweetie gladly took it and signed her name. The dragon hugged it close to her chest, and blew flame on the cd ( from the trick Spike had taught her) that sent it home. "I think Spike here would like to say something, it was nice meeting you." Sweetie Belle said before walking off. Leaving the two dragons alone.
"...and the rest is history, now Spike and Mina live together, it's a shame they couldn't make it to the party last month." Sweetie said as she drained her milkshake. Button took out another milkshake for her, making her smile with delight.
"C'mon Sweetie, it doesn't matter, we're going to be late." Sweetie was now two months and it was Thanksgiving day, and everypony decided to eat at the castle that year with Twilight's family.
"I know, I'm just not sure about which scarf I should wear." she said, holding up both. Scootaloo came in and landed.
"The one on you're left, now come on, we're supposed to get Apple Bloom, Pip and Imp, and meet Spike and Mina at the train station."
She heard a whistling nose and saw the mimicker; wearing a dark blue coat, in the door way. Imp was a nymph, despite Twilight's book from when she first met the crusaders. After she settled on being a nymph, she started living in the Everfree Forrest. She had the same unmistakable blue eyes, and was a light; almost white, blue coat. She looked like a simple earth pony with short wavy sapphire blue hair. She had a cutiemark of her former self. However she was very well connected with nature (Especially crystals, rare gems and creatures). She rarely talked and always made little musical notes; although she did know sign language.
"Hey Imp, how are you?" Imp whistled to Scootaloo.
"Glad to see you too. How's your mother?" Imp smiled.
"I'll head to Sweet Apple Acres, I'll meet you guys at the train." Rumble said. With that he shot off like a rocket and made a beeline for Sweet Apple Acres. The rest went to the train station.
"So you're Imp?" Button asked. The nymph nodded.
"Were you at the wedding?" Imp nodded.
"She was there as herself, though nothing stood out but her eyes." Sweetie Belle explained. Imp whistled in agreement. "She had the light blue and sapphire dress. " Sweetie continued. They soon saw the station after waking for a while. There, Spike and Mina appeared, ready to get on the train.
"Hey guys," Mina said. She looked at Scootaloo and noticed Rumble wasn't with them. "Where's Rumble?"
"He's getting Apple Bloom and Pipsqueak." Button answered.
"So how's the Wonderbolt's?" Spike asked. Scootaloo laughed at a memory.
"I'll tell you at the table. How about you guys?" Spike looked and smiled at Mina.
"Good." Was all he said. Button Mash looked over to Sweetie and nearly had a heart attack when she wasn't there. Almost as quickly as he panicked, he found her sitting on a bench away from the tracks. Button went over to his wife and sat next to her. He saw her shiver at the unusual cold winds of the late autumn. He took off his dark and light orange and brown scarf and wrapped it around the unicorn.
Sweetie looked up. "Button you don't have t-" He stopped her.
"I don't mind, I'm not that cold." Button said. He smiled when he saw Sweetie snuggle up to the warmth of the scarf.
"You truly are the sweetest." She placed her head on his shoulder. Button wrapped his arms around her. Imp standing from the side rolled her eyes and smiled. She turned her head to find Pipsqueak and Rumble. Where Apple Bloom walking behind them with a yellow saddle bag with her cutiemark on each side.
"Sorry we're late." she apologized. "Hi Imp, how's it going?" The earth pony smiled and made a little bird-like tune.
"That's great. How about you Spike?" Rumble said.
"Oh, we're fine, just enjoying life in Ponyville." Mina answered before Spike could. After the wedding, Spike and Mina grew closer and eventually moved in together. The dragon couple moved to Ponyville a year before from Fillydelphia; where Mina lived before she met Spike. They could've migrated with other dragons, but they were raised in cities, and decided to move to a smaller town with old friends and family. Though it took a while before Mina could walk in public without fangirling or fainting on the spot. As one would imagine, she and Rarity made great friends.
Finally, after catching up with each other, the train arrived and the group boarded on with the other ponies on the platform. "Tickets please." The conductor said holding out his hat. Everyone looked to Apple Bloom who reached into her bag and pulled out the eight tickets.
"Thank you ma'am." The stallion said as he moved to the side from the door. The group loaded onto the train. Laughing at a joke Rumble just made. They sat in their seats and faced each other. Laughing all the while as Rumble and Scootaloo told tales from the Wonderbolts. Apple Bloom and Pipsqueak explained an infestation they had in the orchard recently. Button and Sweetie Belle talked about their upcoming albums and videogames. Imp was asked a bunch of questions in which she answered simply. Some of the replies got laughs out of the group. They all laughed and chuckled until the train pulled up to the Canterlot train station. There, they saw Applejack and Fluttershy there waiting for them.
"Girls!" Fluttershy said gently flapping her wings to meet everyone. She had her daughter, who was happily cooing at the newcomers.
"Howdy ya'll, nice to see ya'll made it." Applejack said as she trotted up to the bunch.
"How come you had to come here before we did?" Spike asked.
"We needed to cook the dinner and Princess Cadence asked that I helped. Speaking of which we still need ya to help us with the apple pie, Granny Smith told ya her secret recipe." Applejack said grabbing her sister's hoof and pulling it to the castle. Pipsqueak trotted behind. Leaving Fluttershy to get everyone where they were going to spend the day.
"We'll have so much fun! We'll be eating outside with Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadence and her family outside by the castle. I'm so excited." Fluttershy said as her daughter smiled in agreement. They reached a spot near the castle that overlooked most of Canterlot, and thankfully; it was warm enough to eat outside. They saw several tables on flat grounds, and saw Pinkie Pie and Cheese setting them and doing cart-wheels all the while.
"Hey everyone!" Pinkie Pie said while stopping in the middle of the air. She floated down and greeted the seven of them. "Glad to see you made it, though a bit earlier than we expected, we're still cooking, and decorating, and making arrangements." She ranted.
"Where's everyone else?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Well... Rarity is with Twilight to help clear up the Princess' schedules, Fluttershy is supposed to watch the kids with Discord, Soarin' and Rainbowdash in the castle garden, and Flash and Shining Armor are making sure that the royal guard are ready to fight off any monsters or what have you, and Applejack, Cheerilee, BigMac, and Caramel are supposed to be in the kitchen helping the chefs, wait where's Apple Bloom?" Cheese said.
"Apple Bloom is with Applejack, and has Babs arrived yet?" Scootaloo said.
"No, but she should be here within an hour." Pinkie Pie answered. "For now we can just wait for dinner." she said this before going back to doing summersaults with Cheese just for the fun of it.
"We're super duper party ponies,
Yes that's me and you,
Who needs one party pony?
When you can just have two!..." They sang.
"I'm going to go check with Rainbowdash," Scootaloo said before gently flapping her wings towards the castle. Rumble wasn't too far behind. This left the other five looking for something to do.
"Maybe I should go see how Twilight's doing." Spike said.
"Good idea, I'll be here." Mina said. After leaving, the group started talking with each other.
Imp started signing to Sweetie Belle, who decided to learn for her friend and laughed. "What did she say?" Button Mash asked.
"She just told me that she's wondering about our foal is all." Sweetie Belle said.
"How is your foal by the way?" Mina said. Deciding not to mention anything about the first one.
"Oh, my little angel is just fine, and I'm grateful to have it." Sweetie Belle said while smiling. 'Speaking of which,' she thought while looking at the position of the sun. "I'll be right back." she stood up and walked to Pinkie Pie and Cheese. After a minute of conversation, she received a water bottle from Pinkie's mane.
"Thanks..?" Sweetie Belle said. Pinkie giggled at her reaction.
"No problem." she said before hopping off to another part of the grassy area. Sweetie Belle opened her saddle bag and took out her prescription pills, she then walked off to a farther distance.
"Where is she going?" Mina asked.
"The doctor said for Sweetie Belle to take the pills to make sure our foal stays healthy." Button explained. A minute later Sweetie Belle approached the two talking and found a rather bored Imp.
"Hey Imp you want to go the garden? It's really neat." Imp nodded and smiled.
"You want me to come?" Button said, overhearing the conversation.
"No, I'm just going to look at the garden is all." Sweetie Belle said with Imp walking behind her. They walked in silence until Imp signed something.
"What do you mean by what am I hiding?" Sweetie answered. Imp rolled her eyes and pointed to the saddle bag that was the same color as Sweetie's fur and had a cutiemark on it. "Oh, didn't Button tell you? It's my medicine for-" She stopped when Imp started signing again.
"Ok. I admit I haven't been telling Button the whole truth about them." They approached a bench near the gardens and sat on it. Imp continued. Sweetie was silent afterwards, searching for a way to answer her friend's question.
"I know that I can trust you Imp, but if you're ever asked, please don't mention this to anyone." Imp nodded and did the motions for the Pinkie Promise.
"The truth is, that there's a really slim chance that both me and my foal will live." Sweetie Belle said. Imp's eyes grew wide in shock. She motioned once again and Sweetie Belle sighed. "I just don't want him to worry about losing me. I know he'd do anything for me to stay alive, but I want to do this. I'll do whatever it takes for tis foal." Sweetie Belle replied. Imp nodded in understanding, worry in her eyes.
"Don't worry Imp, I wont let anything happen to my foal or myself. You promised not to tell a breathing soul." Imp nodded.
From a distance, she heard Scootaloo playing with her niece and nephew; who were begging her to race them. "Please?" Rainbow's young daughter asked and gave her a puppy dog stare.
"Whoa kids," Rainbow Dash said as she flew to them. "Aunt Scootaloo is tired and needs a break." she said. The kids groaned.
"Don't worry, soon I'll be playing with my favorite niece and nephew" she said rubbing the latter's mane as she sat down.
"We're you're only niece and nephew." he said before fixing his navy blue, red, and purple mane.
"Which is why I need to save my energy to play with you later." Scootaloo said. The kids sighed a defeated sigh and went to see how the others children were doing. Scootaloo spotted Sweetie Belle and Imp from afar and waved them over. Without a minute to lose, they walked over to their friend.
"Sweetie Belle, is it normal to have such a bad headache?" she asked rubbing her head with her hoof.
"You'll have to get used to it, right now you look like you need to lie down." Sweetie Belle said. Nodding, Scootaloo flapped her wings to sit on a low cloud near the ground. She collapsed onto it, curling her tail around and immediately falling asleep.
"Hey ya'll, Babs is here!" Apple Bloom, who came up to them, exclaimed. The Manehattan stylist appeared shortly afterwards, blowing on her bangs and smiling.
"Thanks for invitin' me here, it's an honor." she said.
"No problem, Ah' need to get back to the kitchen, c'mon Babs, we need your help with the main course." Apple Bloom said before rushing back. Babs followed close behind.
"I don't understand why I can't just poof our dinner right now," Discord complained.
"Where's the memories in that? It's not just about the food, it's about remembering what we're thankful for." Fluttershy said.
"It is?" Zany asked.
"Of course it is," Rainbow Dash said as she landed next to him.
"Can you tell us why?" Cheesecake said excitedly.
"Maybe later." Fluttershy said. All of the foals started crowding around her.
"Please?" They all asked.
"Alright, alright sit down and we'll tell you the story." Rainbow Dash said wrapping an arm around Fluttershy.
"It all began about a year after Hearth's Warming Eve," Rainbow Dash began. "There were the ponies of the new found land Equestria, but there were new creatures entering the land, the gryphons, the crystal ponies. There was also lots of creatures they had never seen before, who were already living there..."
The new kingdoms were trying to take over the new land, a war nearly broke out against the Crystal Ponies, Dragons, Gryphons, Ponies and just about any other species that wanted the land for it's self. Clover the Clever, decided to put a stop to it immediately, she had recently been exploring with her new friends into a magical forest, where they found a small magical sapling.
"Maybe we should-" Smart cookie started.
"Wait, we don't know what this is, it could be the same dark magic as the Windigos, even worse." Commander Hurricane warned.
"It's a new discovery, I must alert Star Swirl about this, he might know something about it." The young unicorn and her friends raced back home to their village, where they were making the capital of the new land.
Star Swirl was in his study, silently listening to his young apprentice. "I'm afraid I've never heard of such a thing in all of my years." The wise stallion said.
" Do you think that maybe it could be important?"
"My dear, if I've been hearing you correctly, I don't think that this crystal sapling could be worth anything, it's probably just another new species we've never seen before." he suggested.
"Ok, thanks anyway." Clover sighed before going back to her friends. She went to Princess Platinum first, who had urgent news.
"My father just got out of a meeting with King Glover, and the greedy griffons want to go to war or have the land for themselves!" she said. They alerted the others who agreed to talk about it with the her. They met up with him in his room.
"What do you wish to alert me about?" he asked.
"Father, we request that we don't go to war over our new land, can't we make a deal?" The king shook his head.
"I'm afraid that I tried that, but the gryphons won't agree, they're as greedy as those dragons."
"Surely we can share the land," Smart Cookie exclaimed.
"As I said the first time, I have tried reasoning, they want to either take us into their empire, or we fight for the land." he sighed. "I thank you all for your concern, but I'm afraid that there's nothing more I can do. You're dismissed, Commander Hurricane and Pudding Head, I request your assistance." The rest left the room.
"What are we going to do?" The pegasus asked.
"I don't know." Clover said, she started running with her friends right behind her. "But I think that the sapling has something to do with it. Tell the others to meet me and Princess Platinum at the location of the sapling tomorrow." she turned as sharp corner and ran into her study, taking her notebook.
The next day the six of them met at the sprouting tree. "What should we do with it?" Pudding Head asked.
Clover took out her notebook and flipped through it to the last entry, which described Hearth's Warming Eve.
"I feel a connection to this tree, I think that it can help us." Clover said.
"Um... that's a tree dear." Princess Platinum said.
"Not just any tree, I think that it could be magic." Clover said.
"Magic?" They all asked.
"Yes, I took note of all of the dangerous plants in the forest, but none of them are coming close to this tree."
"Come to think about it," Pudding Head said. "I thought that it was kind of funny how no weeds are around this tree and were around every other one."
"So I thought that if this tree could protect its self with it's magic, maybe we could use the magic somehow. You remember when I got that magical surge from our friendship in that cave don't you?"
"How could we forget? We acted so childish instead of being friends with each other." Smart Cookie said. Princess Platinum blushed remembering her actions from that night.
"Yeah, so you were saying?" she said.
"Maybe, we can use that same magic from inside that cave and use it to settle an agreement, but I think that this sapling," Clover pointed downwards. "will help us do so."
"How do we do that?" Private Pansy asked.
"Remember the times you were a great friend, like when you were generous or kind." Clover said.
"There's the time I was honest about our crops not growing because I was distracted for a few weeks." Smart Cookie said.
"Good, just like that," Clover said. The group threw out suggestions on how they were a good friend, laughing at the mistakes they had to learn from. It wasn't until they ran out of things to say to see the tree growing with each word, a branch growing longer with each lesson.
"I think that it's working." Chancellor Pudding Head said. There before them, stood the Tree of Harmony. Only, they didn't know at the time.
"It was our friendship that brought us together and our tribes, "Clover explained. "From those lessons we learned from being friends, we were able to grow like this tree." She noticed that each branch had a jewel in it, and wrote in her notebook.
"Do you think that we could make an agreement?" Princess Platinum asked.
"Maybe, but I don't think that we need the tree to help us with that situation." Clover said.
"So we came here for nothing?" Commander asked.
"I wouldn't say that, if we can make harmony with the other creatures of the land, then I believe that we can share it and that it will come to our benefit."
"But what about the tree?" Pansy asked.
"I think that we may be connected to it, if our friendship helped us grow and learn, and the tree grew from our friendship, then I think that the kingdoms can grow, together, and that we may create our own magic, from harmony. We can say the tree still helped us." Clover simply said. Not noticing a glowing from the tree and the edge of it's branches as she said the word, harmony.
"Whatever you say Clover," Pudding Head replied. They walked away from the tall standing tree, leaving the newly formed Elements in it's place.
They went back to the capital city, where a dispute between the kings and queens of the land were discussing an agreement on conquering Equestria.
"WAIT!!!" Clover exclaimed as she ad her friends opened the door.
"Daughter, I have told you and your friends that I can't control what this war." The King said.
"I know father, but we have a solution."
"Surely this is probably some big game to you, we are trying to discuss important matters." The King of Gryphons snapped.
"I am Princess Platinum, and I demand that you listen to my offer that I don't think you'd like to refuse." she said sternly.
"Fine, what do you propose we do?"
"We live in peace together."
"No. That is just silly." King Glover replied.
"I didn't explain my reasoning yet, and I'd appreciate if you weren't so rude." she snapped. The king said nothing. "Thank you. I've been discussing the matter, and I think that if we lived on the same land in harmony, we could all get what we want. We don't have to go to war and end up having thousands die from such a silly matter, if we were to live in peace as friends with one another, we could all stand strong and get what we want." she announced.
"Gems?" The diamond dog queen and dragon queen asked in unison.
"Precisely."
"A place to grow crops and settle down?" King Glover asked.
"Of course."
"We don't need to take control over one another? Or change another's life choices? " The Crystal Princess asked.
"No, we don't. We can make cities and towns where different creatures can live as friends. Only together can we get what we want." Clover the Clever said stepping in.
"We should seal the agreement." Smart Cookie proposed.
"By signing a document!!" Pudding Head agreed.
Clover the Clever summoned a quill and paper and gave it first to the unicorn king. He took them both. "I, previous king of the unicorns hereby decree that all creatures that live upon our great land, shall live together in harmony. We will trade crops and goods to one another and live under our own beliefs. We may live with the ponies of Equestria, or have our own Empires that are welcome to any creature there is. When a new threat arises, we shall work together to defeat it. We will be given equal rights no ruler shall overpower another. But instead, make agreements. " He looked around the room "Anyone want to make any changes?" No one did. The document was passed around and signed by a king, queen, Princess, or Prince, all of which signed the document.
"We shall celebrate our new friendship!!!" Pudding Head said happily.
"With what?" The Crystal Princess asked.
"A feast of course!!' she exclaimed.
"Very well, but first we must discuss trade and settlement." The king said. Pudding Head was a bit disappointed but nodded understandingly.
"You are dismissed." he said.
Once outside the friends cheered. "We did it!" Clover said.
"I didn't know you had such a way with words." Commander Hurricane said.
"I have to do something if I'm a princess, what do you think I do all day, get pampered?" he laughed.
"I'm just grateful that we don't have to go to war." Private Pansy said.
"So am I." Smart Cookie said.
"I've got it! We'll call it Thankful day!" Pudding Head exclaimed.
"How about Thanksgiving?" Smart Cookie said.
"Thanksgiving!!" Pudding Head said.
The following day, the kingdoms had a great feast, every griffon, pony, dragon, crystal pony, any creature that would live in a town or Empire celebrated the day everyone lived in harmony in Equestria. They'd give their thanks and say how relieved they are to live in peace with the other kingdoms. From then on, Thanksgiving was declared as an official holiday.
"Ever since then, it has been tradition to say what you are thankful for other than being at peace with other citizens."
"So, if it wasn't for that, we wouldn't have all of our cool things or friends?" Applejack's son, Johnny asked.
"Yeah, I wouldn't be friends with Gilda." Rainbow Dash said.
"And we wouldn't have Spike or Princess Cadence either." Fluttershy added.
"Wow." The foals said.
"C'mon ya'll it's time for dinner!" Applejack said as she, Caramel, Cheerilee, Babs, and Apple Bloom balanced their dishes on their backs. Behind them a bunch of gourmet chefs were carrying several varieties of foods. Apple Pie, squash, mashed potatoes, carrots, salad, It was a gold mine. The biggest dish was carried by two chefs; one of which being Big Mac.
It was tradition to make bread. Simple as it sounded, it was filled up with many vegetables and spices and stuffing that made it as good as any turkey in the human world. Everyone was hypnotized by its scents, it was so strong and delicious that it woke Scootaloo up, who flew safely down and followed everypony to the tables.
Once they reached it, They found the Princesses sitting at the tables. The group was so large, They had at least six large tables. A different number of chairs at each one. Sweetie Belle followed Rarity to where their family was siting, her parents, in-laws, and niece and nephew were there sitting at the table they had different foods of different kinds served to them from the chefs.
Scootaloo and Rumble sat at the same table as Rainbow Dash's family and were served the same foods along with, of course, apple pie. Apple Bloom sat at a much bigger table than everyone else. They had the same foods, only with a lot more apple treats.
Princess Twilight was sitting with her family and other Princesses along with Spike and Mina, Fluttershy with her family, Pinkie with her sisters, parents, and children with Cheese.
She saw Imp standing in the middle awkwardly, and headed to Scootaloo's table. Last year was Apple Bloom's and the year before Sweetie Belle's. She switched from year to year. Sweetie Belle returned to the conversation.
"...How about you Sweetie, how was your trip to Manehattan?" Button's mother asked.
"Well, it was fun. We went to the spa and saw the statue of liberty. We also ate at a gourmet restaurant, it was fun." Sweetie Belle simply said.
"That's nice." she said. "What about you Button, played any new games lately?"
"I wish could say so, but with the recent news, I've been distracted." he said. He looked at Sweetie Belle who looked up at him. His nephew stuck his tongue out.
"Ew, I hate lovey-dovey stuff." The young colt said.
"That's exactly what I said before I became friends with Sweetie Belle" Button replied.
"You mean I might fall in love too?" The light orange colt said.
"Maybe." Button's brother said before ruffling his son's mane.
"That's enough you three," Button's mother said.
"What about you Rarity? Anything interesting going on?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"I'm glad you asked, I'm making a new clothing line for a fashion show." she said.
"That's great! What's the style?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Winter clothing." The unicorn said.
"And I'm going to help!" Platinum said nearly hopping out of her seat.
"Calm down darling," Fancy Pants said. "You're not done with your dinner yet." he said before primly eating his meal.
The group continued talking for the next hour as everyone, especially the former crusaders, devoured their meal. By the time Twilight noticed everyone was done, she stood up. "Attention everybody." she called out. Everyone immediately looked up to the purple princess.
"Thank you for coming here everybody, this has been a great Thanksgiving, and there's nothing I'm more thankful for than sharing it with all of you." she said.
"Don't tell me you're going to get all sappy on us Twi," Rainbow Dash joked. This made everyone, including Twilight chuckle.
"Let's say what we're thankful for. Applejack," she stated, looking at the closest table to her. "You can go first."
Applejack cleared her throat and stood up. "Ah'm thankful for being here with mah family n' friends today. And even if Granny isn't here," she took of her hat and held it to her chest. "rest her soul, I'm thankful for all the lessons I have learned from her about the importance of family." she sat down. And everyone applauded, after everyone at the table got a turn, Fluttershy was next.
"I'm thankful for my beautiful family and wonderful friends, and also to have my loving and funny husband Discord here with me." she smiled up at him.
The next table was Pinkie Pie's. "I'm thankful for all of the smiles that came to anyone's face because of me, and my family that I love so much, for making me smile just as much."
Rainbow Dash went next. "I'm thankful for getting my dream job where I met Soarin' and ended up with a pretty cool family, and I'm also thankful for my wonderful friends."
Finally came Rarity's table, Rarity stood up first. "I'm thankful for every generous being that was ever kind and loved me no matter how dramatic I can be, including my family and friends." she said. By the time it was Sweetie Belle's turn, she stood up tall.
"I'm thankful for my parents and siblings, my wonderful husband and in-laws, and my new family coming soon." she said. Once everyone was done, they all cheered. Luna rose the moon and Celestia set the sun just as fireworks started to ignite the darkening sky.
Everyone was amazed as the vibrant colors burst across the sky. Families huddled close; wives leaned into husbands' shoulders, foals sitting close to their parents watching the light show turn the skies into beautiful colors.
"This is the best Thanksgiving ever." Sweetie Belle said while leaning in closer to Button Mash, who hugged her tightly.
Sweetie Belle woke up and groaned. Quickly getting out of bed she went to the bathroom until her morning sickness passed. She went into the kitchen and grabbed an apple, a tub of ice cream and ketchup. She went into the next room where she found Button sitting on the couch, a look of disgust on his face.
"What?" She asked as she poured ketchup on the apple and took a bite.
"Nothing," Button said quickly looking away. Sweetie Belle sat on the couch next to Button.
"It's today..." Button suddenly realized.
"What is?"
"It's Friday Sweetie Belle,"
"So...?"
"Black Friday." Sweetie Belle gasped and nearly dropped her apple.
"We need to get in line! I need to get those new presents." Sweetie Belle said. The two scrambled to get their scarves.
"We need to get the others, make a bigger group, before the line gets too long." Sweetie Belle said. Before he had his scarf on, Sweetie grabbed him by the hoof and pulled him out the door.
The four of them stood in a line, there were a bunch of ponies in front of them, but fortunately they were fast enough to gather their friends from the other rooms inside the castle. (They decided to stay the night since Sweetie Belle was too tired to travel. Princess Celestia generously offered for them to stay in the rooms of the castle, and they had gladly accepted.) The group split into two; the guys and the girls.
"Rumble, what do you plan on getting Scoots?" Button Mash said trying to make conversation.
"She's been lacking any emotion, so I plan on getting her some jewelry." he answered. "What are you getting Sweetie Belle?"
"I'm going to give her a custom made necklace, I've been making a few sketches, and I'm going to get her this one." he showed the sketch to the other three.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting Mina a ring and a fire ruby." Spike said.
"Why two?" Rumble asked.
"I plan on proposing." Spike explained.
"That's great man." Rumble said, patting him on the back.
"What about you Pip? What are you getting Apple Bloom?" Spike asked, sticking his claws in his pocket as the line inched further.
"I plan on getting Apple Bloom a new bracelet, since she broke her other one trying to tend the farm." he said.
"Do you think they'll be mad that we have similar gifts for them?" Button asked. The others thought about it.
"Nah," they all replied in unison.
"Speaking of our wives, how's Sweetie Belle with her first trimester?" Pip asked.
"It could be better, it's normal and all, but she's getting these crazy emotions, remember when you came to visit the other day Spike?" Spike blushed.
"Yeah...." he said.
"Wait, hold on, tell us what happened." Rumble stated.
"Well..." Button began.
Sweetie Belle was at home, eating away at a pack of chocolate chip cookies. Spike had come in to return a video game to Button Mash.
"Thanks for letting me borrow it, Mina and I had a lot of fun." he said. He looked over to Sweetie Belle, who was eating the cookies carelessly while ironically reading the Hunger Games.
"Um, haven't you had enough Sweetie Belle?" Spike said. He got a scared look from Button Mash as he started talking, who was making silent signals for Spike to stop talking, but the words were already out.
"What did you say?" Sweetie Belle asked softly.
"Nothing!" Button quickly said, sticking his hoof in Spike's mouth before the dragon could continue.
"Are you saying I'm fat?" Sweetie Belle said, figuring out what Spike said anyway. Then she did the last thing Spike wanted to happen, she cried. Button ran over to her and comforted the crying mare, shooting Spike a glare.
"I-I don't want to be this w-way." Sweetie Belle sobbed. Her sadness quickly turned into anger, at Spike.
"Do you think I want to be this way?! I can't help my morning sickness or how much I eat, my terrible headaches, or the fact that I sometimes can't even breathe!!!" Sweetie Belle yelled, she was in Spike's face from stomping over to the other side of the room. Spike swallowed a lump in his throat. Button had to come in and hold her back since her horn was starting to light up.
"No, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so insensitive." he said. Sweetie Belle's face softened. She then started crying again.
"I'm so sorry Spike." she broke away from Button and ran up the stairs, sobbing all the while.
Button Mash looked at Spike, shaking his head simply said; "Try to be a bit more sensitive next time Spike, if there's one thing you don't want to do to a pregnant mare, it's comment their actions. Thanks for returning the game, I'll see you later." Button Mash followed the mare to their room. And Spike let himself out.
"So that's why Sweetie Belle slammed the door in your face and told you to sit outside on Nightmare Night." Pipsqueak said. Through chuckles.
"I still feel bad about that." Spike said.
"Don't, she forgave you, it just took awhile to get over her new emotions." Button said. "Now she's in better control of them."
"Speaking of emotions, you guys are going to love what happened at a Wonderbolts show," Rumble said.
Scootaloo was sitting excitedly in a front seat, even after working with the Wonderbolts for a while, she still loved to see the shows. Ever since her recent condition, she was being paid about half as much to make a routine. Rumble smiled down at the familiar purple mane cheering loudly for him. The pegasus to his left scoffed.
"She must be pretty lazy to not be flying while she's still able to." he scoffed. It was a aqua green pegasus with a light blue and green mane. Rumble did his best to not say anything back and focused on his routine, doing the sharpest of turns, the lowest dives, and swerving about and ended the performance with sparks flying out of his mane and tail and made fireworks burst across the sky.
'Does he not know that the first time a Wonderbolt is pregnant that they shouldn't fly in any shows? No, he's smart enough to know that, he's always been giving Scoots a hard time since she started.' he thought. He went to meet up with Scootaloo backstage after every pony left the bleachers, but the same pegasus kept following him.
"Hey Rumble, do you notice that Scootaloo is getting lazy? She hardly moves far from the ground unless she's taking a nap like her sister Rainbow Cras-" He was grabbed by the neck by a certain orange pegasus who was clearly upset, she looked as though there were flames in her eyes and poison in her voice. She just so happened to be within hearing distance.
"You can talk about me all you want, but talk about my sister and I will snap you in half." she looked like she meant it, she even had a good hold on her victims neck and was putting enough pressure to make the grown stallion cry out in pain as he hit the clouds.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please let me go!" the stallion pleaded. Scootaloo grabbed his hoof and bent it to a position to where she nearly broke the Wonderbolt's spine.
"Talk about me and my situation again, I break your nose, talk about Rainbow Dash, I break your spine, talk about Rumble and I'll do both. But if you dare to stoop so low as to taunt my child like I knew you were going to," she stood on top of him and hung her head at eye level with the stallions. Grabbing him by his fur, she flew into the air.
"I swear on to Tartarus and back that I will break your wings and your legs until you can never fly again." she threw the stallion down, knowing he would instantly fly away. The next time she went to a Wonderbolt show, he avoided her as much as possible.
"... And the best part was that he never bothered us again." Rumble said.
"Remind me not to get on Scoots bad side." Spike said.
The guys laughed. "What about you Pipsqueak, how's Apple Bloom's emotions?"
"Well there much better now that she's taking Fluttershy's advice. She used to get mad about every little thing I did wrong, or cry about personal things, once in a while she'd say something..." Pip blushed as he thought of something to say. " amorous."
"Well I'm happy for you guys, you're going to be parents, if only you didn't have to put up with the emotions." Spike said as the line started moving forward, the ponies moving inside.
"It's not all that bad, besides the emotions, morning sickness, and other personal problems, we have the best memories when we comfort them when they're upset." Rumble said.
"Relax them when they're going through something they can't control, like their headaches, or how they're always tired." Pipsqueak said.
"Tell them what we really think when they question their appearance, and tell them they're beautiful everyday..." Button said.
"It can be really funny how they act when they don't get what they want, or treat other ponies that make them angry." Rumble said. They all looked at Spike on the last word.
"I can't wait to give this to Apple Bloom." Pipsqueak said holding up a silver bracelet with autumn colored apple blossoms wrapped around them.
"There's nothing better than seeing the look on their face when we give them a gift they actually like." Button Mash said.
"Tell me about it," Spike replied. " When I got Mina a limited edition power ponies video game, she was so happy she started to cry. She loved it so much and gave me a nice delicious sapphire." Spike said licking his lips at the thought of it.
The girls were on the other side of town, they had to go to different places to get their gifts, and they made sure that it was truly special.
"Thanks for comin' with me ta this place," Apple Bloom said as she gestured to the store in front of her. She was getting Pip a new watch, since he liked to be on time with things.
"No problem, it's the least crowded store in town." Sweetie Belle joked.
Apple Bloom smiled and opened the door, finding an older stallion at the back of the small shop. He was shocked to see the three most talked about mares next to their sisters in his small shop.
"How may I assist you all today?" he said.
"Do you have any gold watches?" The stallion nodded and took out an expensive gold watch from behind the glass of the counter. Apple Bloom took out her bits and paid for it generously.
"Thank you ma'am, let me get you your change."
"No need, ya'll can keep it, thank you." Apple Bloom said as she turned and followed her friends out the door.
"I have Rumble's present already at home," Scootaloo said.
"What'd you get him?" Mina asked.
"It's a new mattress," she said sarcastically. " I got him a much better surprise. Though it won't be said until Hearth's Warming."
They walked towards the Game Stop a few blocks from the jewelry store to buy Button a new videogame.
"I bet the guys are trying to get the best things for you girls." Imp signed.
"Yeah, just like our first Hearts and Hooves day back together." Sweetie Belle sighed in memory.
Sweetie Belle was in Rarity's house, ever since she decided to move in, she had never been closer with her sister. Of course Rarity had a big day planned out for them, but Sweetie Belle had other ideas.
"Where are you going dear?" Rarity asked.
"I'm spending this Hearts and Hooves day with Button Mash. It's our last one together before he has to take college courses." Sweetie Belle said. She grabbed her saddle bag and ran out the door, and Rarity rolled her eyes, eating a bar of chocolate.
Button Mash was at his house, and everypony in it seemed to rub in the fact that they had a special some pony. His brother had his mare friend to spend the day with, and his mom and dad were surprising each other with gifts. All he had so far was his saddle bag.
Button sighed as he thought of his mare friend, and right on cue, there was a knock on the door. Button's father looked outside through a window, and saw that sure enough, there was Sweetie Belle. Button smiled. He walked up to the door and opened it.
"Hi Button," Sweetie said with a smile.
"Hello Sweetie Belle." Button Mash said.
They walked out together, taking the scenic route towards SugarCube Corner. "So...um, Button, what do you want to do today?" Sweetie Belle said.
"Well, I was hoping that we could spend the day together, just you and me, maybe go out on a date?" Button Mash said.
"I'd love too." Button perked up at the thought of it.
'Maybe today will be a good day after all.' he thought.
"What do you want to do?" Sweetie asked as they stopped in their tracks.
"The cakes have an early bird special on milkshakes." he suggested. Sweetie Belle grinned. Walking towards the sweet shop, the two talked.
"Have I told you about this new, well, not exactly new, but new game I bought on Steam?" Sweetie Belle giggled at Button's excitement.
"No, what is it," she said.
"The Trotting Dead, they have all of these cool characters like Lee-"
"Lee? I never heard that name before."
"Neither have I, but it suits him. Anyway, he has to survive in the zombie apocalypse, and it's really cool."
"Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think that another shoot and run based off a TV series is all it's cut out to be."
"That's just it, the series adapts to your own choices, not only does it have killing zombies, but you also need to have strategies, you need to know which characters you should trust, and there are many times that there is conflict, both internal and external."
"It certainly does sound interesting, is there any... certain topics in it, maybe swearing?"
"I know that there's swearing, but it depends on what you choose to say, plus, I think you can try to take it off, but then what would the TV series be without those things? Boring is what, I'll tell you that, I've never seen so much brutal fun and excitement in one game!" Button said.
"What else is something you like about the game?"
"Besides the thrill and adventure, I like this certain young character named Clementine, she's adorable."
"What do you like about her?"
"She's sweet and kind, and is always worried about others. It's a shame she had to grow up in that world if she wasn't even out of first grade."
"That sounds like a really interesting game, is there a multiplayer?"
"No, I don't think so, but you can always play at my house."
"I think that I'd rather watch you play."
"Ok, fine by me. But do you know what I really love most of all?" He asked.
"What is it?"
"Clementine reminds me of you." he said looking down at her and smiling. Sweetie Belle smiled back, thinking that it was a sweet compliment.
"Oh, you're making me blush." Sweetie Belle said looking down.
They finally reached SugarCube Corner, where they found Cheese Sandwich there.
"Hi kids," he said.
"Hi Cheese, I didn't think you'd be here today." Sweetie said.
"I'm looking for Pinkie Pie." he said. Sweetie Belle then noticed the box of chocolates in his mouth.
"Hello everypony! How are you today?" she called out, bouncing out of the kitchen with her eyes closed. She opened them to see Cheese first. "Hi Cheese, I didn't expect to see you here in a while." she said.
"I came to visit one pony in particular." He said giving her the box of chocolates. She looked up at him and had a rarely seen emotion on her face; surprise.
"Thanks, Cheese, you didn't have to come all this way just for me."
"I had to in order to ask if you'd be my special somepony." he explained. Pinkie Pie was so happy she actually had tears in her eyes.
"Yes!!" she exclaimed.
Mrs. Cake popped her head out of a doorway. "Pinkie, do we have any custom-" She noticed the love fest between her and Cheese. "I guess that I can handle getting the orders for one day." she said while walking past the new couple and standing in front of Sweetie and Button.
"What would you like dear?" she asked Sweetie Belle.
"I'd like one vanilla milkshake. No cherry please."
"And you Button?"
"Chocolate please."
"You want the Hearts and Hooves Day special?" The two looked at each other and Sweetie just shrugged.
"Sure, why not." Button Mash said.
"Coming right up." She said going to the kitchen to prepare it. Button Mash and Sweetie Belle sat down at a booth.
"You never really told me how your trip went." Button Mash said.
"Oh it was great to go to different places and I got to sing back up on the stage, but it wasn't the same without you there."
"You mind singing me a line or two?"
"Maybe later." Sweetie giggled. They hadn't realized they'd been leaning in together until Mrs. Cake brought out their milkshakes. There were two pink straws in both of them.
"Thanks Mrs. Cake." The two said. Mrs. Cake smiled as they resumed their staring. They started talking as they had their flanks in the air; a lot like Cheerilee and Big Macintosh when they were under the love potionpoison. Drinking the milkshakes while they stared into each other's eyes. They didn't notice a bell ringing behind them, and it turned out to be Scootaloo and Rumble.
"Bleh, even our friends are going through that lovey-dovey stuff." she said as her gaze slipped to Pinkie Pie and Cheese, who's curls had intertwined.
"It's an all you can eat buffet for Changelings." Rumble agreed. The two left and flew into the air, landing safely on a soft cloud. Soon afterwards came Sweetie Belle and Button Mash.
"Where do you want to go?" Sweetie Belle asked. They looked all over the place. They went to the park, full of couples and picnic baskets.
They went to the lake, other ponies swimming.
They even tried the clubhouse. Apple Bloom and Pipsqueak were inside. They finally went to the middle of town and found one empty bench. They headed towards it, but soon it was quickly taken by Vinyl Scratch and Neon Lights. Sweetie Belle groaned.
"Where do we spend our Hearts and Hooves day?" She asked. They sat down and thought. Button Mash shifted his gaze to the EverFree. He got Sweetie Belle's attention and nodded his head in the direction.
"Are you sure? There could be anything in that forest."
"It's either that or we can go home." He said.
Sweetie Belle was of into the forest and Button was close behind. They walked together and looked at the different plants inside. They walked along the trail that has been worn away for years by other hooves, and eventually they came across an open cave.
"Imp?" Sweetie Belle called out for her friend. No sound. Sweetie Belle sighed. She was probably doing whatever nymphs do, singing, or maybe with her mother since she had a very close bond with her.
"Did you say something?" Button Mash said.
"Don't worry about it." Sweetie quickly threw out. They kept walking along the trail until they saw he end of it. There in front of them, was a bit of a spring. There was a small waterfall going into a pond before leading to another river. From behind the reflection of the water, Sweetie spotted a glow.
"Button do you see that?" she pointed to the cave. After a second of looking closely, Button Mash spotted it. He grabbed Sweetie Belle's hoof and pulled her inside through the water. The inside was even more beautiful than the outside. It was still a bit dark, but the glow from the different colored gems that reflected whatever sunlight came in, gave it a beautiful reflection and little rainbows dancing across the room from the prism like water from the spring outside. They sat down, their manes damp from the rushing water.
"At least I don't have to wash my hair Sweetie Belle joked. She grabbed her mane, which was no longer in curls do to the weight of the water and rung it out like a towel. An impressive amount of water came out and she then started with her tail.
"You're mane's a lot longer than I thought." Button said as the water droplets from his mane dripped into a puddle. Causing a small echo around the room.
"I think that I might cut it." she said.
"Don't it looks beautiful the way it is." he assured her.
Sweetie Belle smiled and blushed. They looked around the cave awkwardly, avoiding each other's eyes. "At least we're finally alone and together again." Button Mash stated to lift the silent tension. "Plus, we have a beautiful cave with wonderful gems." he pointed out.
"It truly is a sight," she said, looking around.
"But the most beautiful thing in here would be you." Button Mash expressed as he looked at Sweetie Belle. He scooted in closer to Sweetie Belle, who moved in as well. Finally they met in the middle of the cave, turning towards one another, their noses touched. Causing a lot of blush to rush to their faces. They stared into each others eyes and smiled. Button leaned in and kissed Sweetie Belle on the cheek and then looked down. Sweetie said nothing.
"I- I'm sorry, I just got caught up in the moment and it's been a long time since I did that, we don't have to kiss again if you don-" He was stopped by Sweetie Belle kissing him full on the lips a lot similar to the way he did at the Gala. After what felt like forever, she pulled back.
"You talk too much." Button leaned in once again and the two kissed for what seemed like forever until they finally stopped.
"I'm going to miss you after I go to college." Button Mash said.
"I'll miss you too." she stated as she leaned in on Button Mash, who wrapped an arm around her. They stared out of the cave watching the little rainbows dance across the room. And listening to the drops' drip as they fell into the water. It was damp, and warm inside, but the two wouldn't have had it any other way.
"... and from then on, before going to college, we'd kiss every day." Sweetie Belle said.
"That was... really sappy." Scootaloo uttered. Causing the others to laugh.
"Least she didn't fly around n' kiss on a cloud the whole time." Apple Bloom threw back. Making Scootaloo blush in the cold air and the other girls laughed. Finally the line to Game Stop opened. Sweetie Belle walked inside. Causing all of the ponies inside to stop what they were doing and cheer happily to see not one but three super stars in a video game store.
"Hi everyone, do any of you know where I can buy Mortal Kombat X?" she said shyly. A bunch of them were crowding around each holding up a copy of a game. Sweetie thanked them and took the first one from the first pony she saw.
"Thanks, I'll find the rest on my own." she said. They all went back to their original places after a long groan. 'That is really starting to get old.' he thought. She walked around the store where she found several games Button Mash had been ranting about. Bloodborne, Marjora's mask, and basically any other game on Button's wish list. She spotted several of the ponies in there buying all of Button Mash's games, The Cave of Wonders, the game he released that year, especially. When he first started writing the story, he let Sweetie Belle read the script. Sweetie thought that it was a great script compared to the stories of other games she and Button played.
When she asked where he got the idea, he admitted it was inspired by the cave they visited on Hearts and Hooves day. And the main character, who he let Sweetie Belle voice, was based off of her. Sweetie Belle smiled at the memory from two years before. She remembered when Button emailed his ideas to the company he worked for, they started making the game. Sweetie Belle had no idea how they make video games. But she knew that Button was very specific with the designs, which were quite realistic.
Finally Sweetie Belle got all of the games she wanted, while her friends were looking around. Mina eventually bought Batmare: Arkham Knight.
"Are you sure Mina? That's rated M." Scootaloo said looking at the rating.
"I know, but the graphics are so realistic and I love Batmare! Except for that terrible DC vs. Mortal Combat game." They all shuddered at the thought of it.
"I swear that was not as good as any other Mortal Kombat game." Sweetie Belle said. They all nodded in agreement as they got in line. The Cmc remembered how excited Button Mash was to receive the game and everyone gathered to play with him. The game was not as good as other ponies said it was.
"Remember when Rumble was really upset with the Fatalities?" Scootaloo asked. They chuckled at the thought. Sweetie remembered Rumble almost as upset as Button since they liked to play video games together.
"Yeah, he was all like 'Where's the blood?'" Mina said imitating his voice. The five chuckled at the thought. Finally the long line they were in brought them to the counter where they purchased the games.
They thanked the store clerk, a young teenage stallion, and left.
"What's next?" Apple Bloom asked.
"We all have our gifts already," Scootaloo said.
"What did you get Rumble?" Imp signed.
Scootaloo flapped her wings to which she hovered just above ground. "Nice try girls, but you're not getting it out of me until Hearth's Warming." she said. Mina flapped her now large wings and hovered at the same level.
"You can tell us, it's not like we're telling anybody." She said.
"Maybe at the castle. The boys might be done with shopping." She said. She flew a bit ahead of the group and walked in front of them. The rest looked worriedly at each other. Apple Bloom trotted to her.
"Look Scootaloo, we're sorry that we got ya so upset, but if you're upset about somethin', you can always tell us." She said.
Scootaloo said nothing and nodded. Once they got to the castle, Scootaloo shut herself into the room she slept in. While the others worriedly looked at each other. Finally the boys came back, and Rumble went looking for Scootaloo.
"Where is she?" He asked.
"She's in her room, and she's upset 'bout somethin." Apple Bloom stated.
"It's today..." Rumble realized.
"What's today?" Mina asked.
"About two years ago to this day Scootaloo's mother passed. Scootaloo got her nice present, but she never got the chance to show it." The others were upset to realize that they were told the horrible news two years before and felt guilty to not remember the event that upset their friend.
"You should talk with her." Pipsqueak said. Rumble nodded and went to the room.
"The train should be here in an hour," Pipsqueak said looking at the clock on the wall.
"Ok, thanks Pip." Button said. A half hour later Rumble came back with Scootaloo in his arms. " I'm not sure if now is the best time to mention, but we have an half hour before we get on the train." Button said.
"We'll meet you there." Rumble said. The others looked at each other and walked to the train station. Eventually they were joined by Rumble and Scootaloo.
"Sorry about all of that guys," She said wiping a tear from her face and smiling.
"We're sorry that we weren't sensitive about your feelings." Sweetie Belle said.
"Don't worry about it, I'm fine now, and the train is here." She said. Everyone turned around to see the train waiting on the train track.
"Let's go home." Rumble said. They all stepped onto the train, giving their ticket to the conductor. They rode the train in silence, and by the time they finally got to Ponyville they split their different ways.
Sweetie Belle put on her scarf and walked out into the chilly weather. The group parted in the middle of town and headed home. "Poor Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle said as she hung her scarf on a coat rack.
"I know how it feels, to lose someone you care about." Button Mash said. He walked to Sweetie Belle. "I'm just glad that I got her back. I hope that Scootaloo will feel better soon." he said.
It was a week before Hearth's Warming, and Sweetie Belle and Button Mash were setting up their Hearth's Warming tree. They had custom made ornaments, each one representing something. The ornament with two rings represented their love and marriage. The nest represented their relatives. A heart represented their friends. Sweetie and Button's cutiemarks were ornaments as well. And several more.
Hanging it on the tree, Sweetie Belle was excited. She was almost three months, meaning she was going to start showing soon. "....Button, just think, by next year, we can have our own little foal running around." she daydreamed. Then she gasped. "I need to take pictures!" she exclaimed.
"Pictures?" he asked. Sweetie Belle ran to get a empty scrapbook and notebook. Inside were different pictures of Sweetie Belle pregnant, the baby shower, holidays, telling Button both times, she flipped to a new page and took a picture of the tree with Button standing next to it. "I had no idea you had a scrap book."
"Well I also have a notebook I got yesterday." she admitted.
"What are you going to do with it?"
"Whenever you can't be around and I'm going through emotions, I'll write songs to relive my stress." she explained.
"Have you written any yet?" he asked.
"No, you've never left my side when I needed you. I bought this because of Fluttershy's advice." she said.
Button looked into the scrapbook and saw several pictures of him and Sweetie Belle. "How many of these do you have?" he questioned.
"Well, I have one for the pictures we took on our dates, another for our first wedding days, the wedding, and anniversaries. I also have birthday scrapbooks. I made this one two months ago." she implied, pointing to the book in front of her.
"What about the video?" Button Mash said.
"You mean our trip to the beach? I have that in one of these somewhere, along with other videos with friends and family." she stated. Most were empty scrapbooks, but a few had loose pictures that fell out and littered the floor. There was her cutiemark crusaders scrap book, Sweetie and her sister, and so many more.
"I had no idea you had so many of these." Button said. "I knew you had them, but not so many."
"I have a lot of new ones lately, you want to start a Hearth's Warming one?" she held up a scrapbook and camera.
"Sure. Speaking of memories, I got a new ornament to hang on the tree." Button pulled out a small box with a ribbon wrapped around it.
"Button, you didn't have to do that," Sweetie Belle said.
"Just think of it as a gift I got for both of us." he beckoned. Sweetie took the gift and unraveled the ribbon. Taking of the wrapping paper, she carefully saw a small box. Opening it, she pulled out the ornament.
"Button, it's wonderful." Was all she could say. It was a small ornament of a little foal which had on a pair of pink and blue socks. She looked at the detail of the ornament and noticed it's tiny wings. "An angel," now she was really on the verge of tears.
"Let's hang it on the tree. And see what it looks like." Sweetie Belle stood up and walked to it. She looked carefully for where to hang it, and decided to hang it near the top. Button took a picture as she levitated it with her magic, and then took another when it was on the tree.
"Got it," he said. Sweetie Belle walked back to where she was and sat down. Out of nowhere, she picked up a scrapbook titled 'My Friends'. Opening it, she saw many pictures of her and her friends, from the first photos, all the way to the recent ones. She saw a lot with her first years with Button Mash before dating him.
"You know, I get scrap booking from Pinkie and my dad. He always takes a lot of photos of us since he's afraid he might forget about the memories, but he never does. I guess I'm making it a bit of a tradition by looking into them." she said.
"I'm sure that you know how in my family, we have a tradition to have Hearth's Warming treats while we talk about our friendships. Do you want some hot coco? I have marshmallows."
"With cookies?"
Button smiled. "Yes, I'll go get it." he stood up and walked to the kitchen. Sweetie Belle continued to the next book with dating. By the time Button came back, he saw her looking at a picture in the book.
"What're you looking at?" he set the tray he was carrying down.
"Remember the first Hearth's Warming Eve after I came back?" she asked.
It was a snowy day in Ponyville, and everyone was inside their house. Button was walking with his mother to Cheese and Pinkie Pie's Hearth's Warming Palooza.
"I can't wait to see the look on Sweetie Belle's face once she sees that I'm back from school." Button said.
"I bet that she'll be quite surprised to see you." his mother said. They arrived at the door to SugarCube Corner, and before even knocking, it was swung open and he found the pink mare in the doorway. She was wearing a festive, thick, red sweater. "Hi you two, glad to see you again!" she exclaimed. She moved to the side and Sweetie Belle and her friends were revealed. He knew he'd never forget the look of realization on her face once she saw him across the room.
"Button!" she cried. This caused anyone who wasn't looking to turn their heads to them. Unexpectedly, she ran towards him and hugged him. "I missed you so much," she said.
"I missed you too Sweetie Belle." he said. Everyone watched from a distance and was either chuckling or smiling at the heart warming scene. They hugged each other for a few more seconds before pulling back. "I'm sorry that I couldn't visit earlier, ever since I had to switch schools for that new program, I've been a bit busy with my grades." he explained.
"Well we're together now." she said. They stood up and hugged again. Button walked to his friends as everyone resumed what they were doing.
"Hey dude, how's college?" Rumble asked.
"You know, educational, and hard. Turns out it takes a lot more work to balance my classes than I ever thought. Plus, my aunt makes cookies when I make good grades, ever since I had to move in with her, she's been occupying majority of my time with her restaurant." he explained. "How's Wonderbolts training treating ya?"
"It's pretty tough but Scoots and I are at the top of the class, as usual." he bragged.
"And Apple Bloom and I are having a great senior year thank you." Pipsqueak intruded.
"Sorry Pip, I guess I missed out on a bunch huh?" Button rubbed the back of his head.
"You sure did, there's a lot you missed. You just had to skip a grade huh?" Rumble said.
"You know it was a placement test, and I want to finish school as soon as possible to be with Sweetie Belle. Just three and a half years to go of this." he said.
"You really have this planned out, huh?" Rumble asked.
"You need to have a plan for everything, otherwise life would just be a big mess. Even I need to be organized sometimes, what else could I have learned from Twilight Time?" Button stated.
Meanwhile in Canterlot:
"Hey Luna, do you feel that?" Princess Luna looked up from the documents to the purple Alicorn who had to attend the important meeting they were in.
"Feel what?"
"I think that somepony is talking about organization."
Back in Ponyville:
"...then Pip spent the rest of the evenin' with me." Apple Bloom said dreamily.
"Sounds like you two have a lot of fun on your dates." Sweetie Belle said.
"Yeah, Ah' guess that we finally got bit by the 'love bug' as mah' sister says it." Apple Bloom said.
"I guess so, whatever that means." Scootaloo uttered as Pound Cake raced past her to chase his sister, his little wings buzzing all the while.
Sweetie Belle was approached by Button Mash while Scootaloo and Apple Bloom went to talk with their sisters. "Hey Button," she said.
"Hey Sweetie," They looked at each other for a moment before Sweetie Belle was pushed into him by a small yellow unicorn filly by the name of Pumpkin Cake, who wasn't looking where she was going. Not seeming to notice, she turned around and faced her brother who had been chasing her around.
Sweetie Belle was now touching her nose to Button's, causing red to fill their faces and tips of their ears. "Sorry." she apologized. She moved over to the side. They stood together and looked at the decorations around the room.
"Pinkie really out did herself with this time," Sweetie Belle stated as she saw all of the Hearth's Warming decorations around the sweet shop.
"Well considering this place looks like a gingerbread house, I'd consider it festive enough without the decorations." Button joked. Causing Sweetie Belle to laugh.
The two talked about current things happening to them, like how Button got to meet the creator of the Legend of Zelda games, and how Sweetie Belle met up with Sapphire Shores again to do a duet. They talked until they found themselves leaning in together and complementing each other. They looked up to see a small plant hanging above their heads.
The two blushed furiously, again they turned their heads to each other, but their heads were so close that their noses were touching.
They moved away from each other and avoided the other's eyes. But eventually they met up again. 'Maybe one kiss wouldn't hurt... no, we're at a party, I don't want to do this at a party, what if somepony sees us?' Sweetie Belle thought.
"Should we do it Button, I mean I like it when this happens, but we've never done it in public or in front of friends, maybe we should move somewhere el-" she was stopped by Button kissing her full on the lips, once he finally pulled back, he smiled. Sweetie stood there, blushing all the while.
"That was," she stated.
"Extraordinary." they said. Suddenly from behind them they heard gagging. They looked down to see two twin foals making faces at them.
"Ew, did you two just kiss?" Pound Cake asked.
"I think that's it's romantic." Pumpkin said as she held her hooves together.
"I think you're insane,"
"Am not,"
"Are too, besides, love is gross, that's why changelings eat it."
"What does changelings eating love have anything to do with this?" Pumpkin asked.
"Like mom says, you are what you eat. And love is gross. I'm never going to be in love when I'm older." Pound cake insisted as he batted his eyelashes.
"Well," Sweetie Belle said. "your loss."
The twins rolled their eyes and resumed their game. Rarity walked over to the two. "What are you doing under the mistletoe? Isn't that for couples who kiss?" she drank some of the punch she held.
"We did kiss." Sweetie Belle said. Rarity spat out punch.
"What!?" she screamed. The whole room directed their eyes to the mare. Who blushed and waved them off quickly.
"Come again?" she asked, trying to stay calm.
"We, well kissed under the mistletoe, and yeah, just ask the twins." Sweetie Belle said, hesitant from the twitching of her sister's eye.
"Do you know what this means?" she asked quietly to a now scared Button Mash, who once again felt like he was staring into the eyes of a monster, or even worse, a creature from Outlast. The mare was directly in front of him, her eyes shrunk down and twitching in sudden rage.
"Um...no." Button said.
"You will end up taking my little sister away from me!" she whispered silently into Button's face. This caused the young earth pony to sink as he neared the wall.
"Rarity, hold on, he will not do anything drastic like that, we just date and kiss a couple of times."
"A couple of times?! You mean you've done it before?!" The mare whispered again.
"Pretty much, yeah" Sweetie Belle answered honestly. Rarity lifted her head up, her pupils two different sizes. And her mane having a few hairs come out of place. She then calmed down. Though she talked like she was straining herself.
"We'll deal with this later, right now I'm going to speak with my friends." she said. She stomped off, leaving the two alone once more.
"On second thought, maybe we should keep any of that between you and I from now on." he suggested. Sweetie Belle laughed, causing him to soften up a little.
"Don't worry, it's just her emotions, she'll be back to normal soon." Sweetie explained.
"I hope so, I felt like she was going to snap my neck." he said. Sweetie Belle laughed again. Button smiled.
"Remember the next day? When Rarity and your mother insisted that we couldn't be in the same house after ten without someone else there?" Sweetie Belle said.
"How can I forget such an annoying experience? We weren't allowed to even hug each other without being scolded until we graduated college." Button said.
"Yeah, not to mention that we went to separate colleges after high school, and we were only able to see each other every other few months, sometimes on video chat."
"Well I'm just happy that I can spend a lot more time now that it's Hearth's Warming." Button said.
"Me too," Sweetie Belle said. They looked at the tree once more and talked throughout the rest of the night; going back to previous memories.
The next few days were full of joy, everybody was enjoying the winter snow. While some were inside beside a fire and reading a book or telling stories, many were outside playing with family. Sweetie Belle and Button were enjoying making treats with the Pies, listening to stories with the Sentry's, drinking cider with the Apples, hanging stockings with Rarity, or visiting the great house of chaos.
Finally came the day of Hearth's Warming, and every filly and colt was eager to get their parents out of bed to see what the legendary Santa Hooves brought them. Throughout the whole morning, you could see lights from Hearth's Warming trees as families opened long awaited presents. Sounds and squeals of delight as they received what they wanted, those who received sleds riding them down the snowy hills. It was a wonderful day for all but one.
Sweetie Belle sighed as she stared out the window. She smiled at how the pegasus foals flew around and teased the ones without wings. She smiled at the snow ponies young fillies and colts made with their parents. She laughed at the magical snowball fights the families engaged in. It nearly brought her to tears as she saw everyone race down a hill in the snow, while she sat there, inside. She heard a sound out in the hallway and stood up of off the windowsill. She approached Button, her face down.
"Sweetie Belle! I was hoping you'd want to-" he saw a few drops of water stain the carpet underneath them and immediately set down the present he was holding and hugged Sweetie Belle. Who stood there and cried over Button's shoulder.
"It's alright Sweetie Belle. One day, it'll happen with us. I promise." Sweetie Belle pulled back, wiping a tear from her eye.
"I know, I just wish that I could be smiling out there with them, instead of in here every year. It's not that I don't love spending time with you. I do, it's just..." she couldn't finish and, and only tears could come out.
"I understand Sweetie Belle. I promise that you will get your turn soon, I promise." he wiped the tear from her eye and wrapped a hoof around her neck.
'But there's only a small chance that it can come true. That all will be out there one day.' she thought. But she didn't let it show. "You're right. Let's open those presents. I have a feeling that you'll like yours." she smiled. They walked to the tree. and lying down, they exchanged gifts.
"You didn't have to give me a gift Sweetie Belle,"
"How come?"
"You already did." he said. He laid a hoof over the mare's stomach, who was now really on the edge of tears.
"Besides, what kind of knight would I be if my lady didn't go first?" he said with a crack of a smile. The unicorn reflected the smile as she unraveled the ribbon. There was a box underneath the wrapping paper that said Hay on it. (I'm so sorry.) Slowly opening the box, she gasped at the beautiful necklace inside.
"Button," she breathed. Tears once again falling from her eyes from happiness as she lifted the golden necklace. It was a lot like the necklaces for the Harmony stones, only, it had many unique designs and patterns such as swirls and hearts skillfully embedded into the blend of light pink and purple, although it was gold it reflected the colors beautifully. There were several hearts embedded into it, getting bigger as they lead to the end, were a beautiful pink heart, was in place, and was like a much smaller of Spike's Rarity's fire ruby.
"It's beautiful. Where did you buy this?"
"I made the design."
"Oh Button, you didn't have to do that for me,"
"I had to, I knew that it would suit a beautiful mare such as yourself. Happy Hearth's Warming, Belle." he received a tight hug from Sweetie Belle, who had tears of joy on her face. Finally, she pulled back.
"Now open your presents." Button did as told, and was amazed at the newest and hottest games he had inside the wrapping paper. Batmare, Legend of Zelda, Mortal Kombat X, the newest games he'd never thought he receive.
"Sweetie Belle..." he was silent for a minute, worrying Sweetie Belle. "You're the greatest." he jumped up and cheered like he won the lottery, and in his book, he had.
"You know me so well Sweetie Belle." he finally said at the end. He received a hug from the mare and they kissed. They eventually parted and prepared themselves to meet up with their family and friends. Throwing on their scarves, hats and coats, the two went outside to their families.
"Button, Sweetie Belle, glad you two finally made it." Rarity said as she sat on her son's elegant sled, who was ready to slide down the hill the two just climbed on.
"Happy Hearth's Warming Rarity, I take that you're enjoying yourself?" Sweetie Belle teasingly asked her sister.
"I certainly am, you should say hello to everyone else, we've been waiting for you." Rarity uttered. Immediately she and her son raced down the hill, both screaming in enjoyment as they came to a stop in the snow, having so much fun that they didn't seem to notice the snow in their hair.
Sweetie Belle and Button walked around and talked with everyone, who were all glad to see them all. Eventually they were approached by their closes friends.
"Hey guys happy Hearth's Warming." Scootaloo said as she approached the two with Apple Bloom, Pipsqueak and Rumble right behind her.
"Hey guys," Sweetie Belle said.
"What a snow day, I haven't seen one like this in ages." Rumble said as he watched all of the other families.
"Ah know, it was just like yesterday that we were in that position."
It was a Hearth's Warming day, Button had just opened up his new sled and video game systems. He was eager to go outside to share it with his friends, especially Sweetie Belle. This surprised his family.
"Don't you want to play a game Button?" his dad asked.
"Nah, I'm just going to play with my friend Sweetie Belle." Button explained. His family stood in shock as they saw him race out the door with the new sled, running to the tree he and Sweetie Belle always met at. He waited as he watched the snow fall, and admired the snow in the trees. He stood there for a few minutes before being hit by a snowball.
"Hi Button." Came a giggling Sweetie Belle.
"Hi Sweetie Belle," he replied as he wiped the remaining snow from his face. It had been about a little year since the two became friends, and they agreed to spend the snow day together.
"My friends should be coming in a minute." Sweetie Belle said. Button's ears drooped.
'Friends? I thought that it was only the two of us.' he didn't let it show on his face. Fortunately, before Sweetie Belle could say anything else, her two friends came racing up the hill with two other colts.
"Hey Sweetie," Scootaloo said. She looked at the colt next to her, who had a tinge of red on his face from the cold. "Hi Button." she said.
"There you are dude, we've been all over looking for you. You weren't anywhere we looked, so we thought we'd come here were we always see you with your fillyfriend. The two blushed.
"She's not my fillyfriend!"
"I'm not his fillyfriend!" The two exclaimed at the same time.
They all laughed. "We're just messin' with you dude," Rumble said, avoiding his gaze with Scootaloo, his face the tips of his ears slightly going red. Pipsqueak, still small for his age, seemed to be blushing up a storm as he stared at a certain red haired earth pony with a pink bow. Who was as oblivious to it as she was to her special talent.
Scootaloo seemed the same way as well as she stared at the pegasus colt. "You ok there Scoots?" Sweetie asked as she waved a hoof in front of the filly's face. Both foals snapped out of their trances.
"Yeah, I'm fine, hey that's a pretty sweet sled you got there Rumble."
"You really think so? My dad got it for me."
"How about we have a race?" Pipsqueak said. "I'll go with Apple Bloom on her sled, Sweetie Belle can go on Button's, and Scootaloo with Rumble." The colt suggested.
"That sounds fun." Apple Bloom said. Pipsqueak blushed.
"Hey dude, are you blushing?" Button asked.
"It's from the cold." The colt answered quickly.
"I swear that you weren't blushing before those other girls showed up." Rumble insisted.
"Don't worry about it, let's just race!" Sweetie Belle said. Pipsqueak was grateful. They all ran towards the tallest hill they could find, and climbed on to their sleds.
"We go on three...," They all leaned forward. "two," Rumble's wings started to flap until it resembled an engine. "three!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, and they were off, the pegasi in the lead as Pip and Apple Bloom were a close second. Button and Sweetie Belle leaned forward, going faster in the process. They all panicked once they saw a huge lump on the ground. They flew into the air, losing control of their sleds as they all landed in different places. Button landed in a snow pile, and Sweetie Belle coincidently next to him.
She laughed, and giggled. "That was fun." she claimed. Soon, Button laughed with her, happy and glad that he landed in snow. They laughed until their sides hurt. Finally, Button stood up and held out a hoof.
Sweetie took it. "Want to build a snow pony?" she asked excitedly. Button smiled.
"Yes." They raced to a pile of snow, where they rolled snowballs and had snowball fights and made angels and snow ponies until they all went to SugarCube Corner for coco.
The group sighed. "That was the life." Scootaloo said as they recalled their memories.
"I just wish I had a foal now so that I can do it all over again." Sweetie Belle said. She felt a small nudge on her foreleg and looked down to see her niece.
"Um, aunt Sweetie Belle, I was hoping you would like to... um... go sledding with me?" she asked. She looked up shyly. Sweetie Belle smiled.
"Yes." she followed her niece, and boarded the sled with her. A single happy tear flying past her as she pushed off and down the hill.
"Five," Everyone held their breath. "four," they watched as the great ball in the center of Manehattan inched downwards. "three," everyone started chanting along. "two," Button looked to Sweetie Belle, along with a lot of other couples.
"ONE!!" Everyone announced. They all jumped up and cheered. "Happy New Year!!" The cried out. The couples kissed, children screamed in glee, and Spike lit the fireworks as Time Turner's set off into the sky. The collaboration for the mix of colors were beautifully put together, causing a lot of praise to erupt from the crowd.
"Just like the Gala." Sweetie Belle said as she cradled her stomach and looked from the sky, to her husband.
"Yes indeed." The two kissed once more, the colors of the sky reflecting off of their manes and fur.
The two walked back into their house, gold and silver confetti still hanging in their hair from the New Year's party. Sweetie Belle was excited. "Just think Button, we're going to become parents this year! This is going to be the best year ever!" Button smiled and nodded in agreement.
"I'm excited too, but for now, we need to rest up." Button stretched and yawned. "I'm going to bed, you coming?" Button asked, walking towards their room.
"In a minute, I'm just going to fix myself a quick midnight snack." Sweetie Belle stated as she looked quickly to the clock. Button shrugged and went upstairs, doing his best to take the confetti and glitter out of his mane and fur. Once he got most of it out, he went to bed. He was soon joined by Sweetie Belle.
Closing his eyes, Button dreamt of the events in the past year. He was awakened by something sharp poking him I the back, he turned around to realize that Sweetie Belle was constantly shifting. She was tossing and turning, and Button guessed that it was from her back. He went back to sleep, feeling the occasional poking in his ribs, back, or neck.
"Sorry Button." Sweetie whispered.
"It's alright," he answered. Eventually she laid in a comfortable position, and they slept peacefully for the rest of the morning.
Button once again felt like something was hitting him, he cracked open his eyes to see Sweetie Belle there nudging him. "Wake up sleepy head." The mare said happily. Button opened his eyes widely and looked at the time on the clock. Sitting up, Button Mash smiled at Sweetie Belle.
"I should start getting ready." Button said. He hopped out of bed while Sweetie Belle laid in the middle of it, still smiling. He waltzed into the bathroom and got ready for the day, brushing his mane and fur until it was no longer messy. After brushing his teeth and showering, he walked out of the bathroom to find Sweetie Belle gone. He went down stairs to find her completely clean, mane brushed, small amount of makeup, and eating Eggo waffles covered in syrup and chocolate chips.
"You look great," she said before stuffing a fork full into her mouth.
"So do you." he replied as he pulled out cereal and milk. The two ate together and recalled their memories from the previous year.
"Can you believe that it has been 12 years since we first spent our New Year's together?" Sweetie Belle asked, scraping whatever was left on her plate into her mouth.
"I know, it feel just like yesterday that we all became friends, and now here we are, married to each other and expecting kids." Button ranted.
"Good times." they sighed as they recalled old memories.
"I can't believe that I'm almost showing. I'm almost three months, I'm so excited!" she exclaimed, making Button jump.
"I'm happy too, it would mean we're one step closer to a foal. They finished their breakfast, and started playing another game Button had, Journey.
The following days were uneventful, the only things happening being a few birthdays, and Sweetie Belle with great news.
It was just another morning, and Sweetie Belle had just woken up. She looked to the mirror behind the door, and went over to it, careful not to wake her husband. She walked to the mirror, out of curiosity, and was shocked with what she saw.
"Button!" she exclaimed. Button groaned and turned to the side. "Button Mash!" Sweetie said impatiently. Button snapped awake, wondering if Sweetie Belle was in danger or hurt.
"Yes?!" he asks as he rushed over. Sweetie Belle smiled and pointed to the little tiny lump on her stomach. Button calmed down. "You nearly gave me a heart attack! Thank Celestia this is happening." he hugged Sweetie Belle. Sweetie Belle sighed, happy that she had another chance.
Looking into the mirror, her ears drooped as she let a few tears fall. 'I promised him...' she thought. Button pulled away, sensing something was wrong.
"Are you ok?" he asked. It was really hard to lie to him with him looking at her so worriedly.
"I'm fine. Just thinking about the first." she replied as she wiped away a tear.
"Ok." Button said out of trust. This broke Sweetie Belle's heart, she had promised him, and now it's way too late to make up for it now.
'I promised him...' she thought
It was another one of their dates, Sweetie Belle and Button only had the summer with each other before Button had to move to a different school for a opportunity he couldn't miss, and were spending their time together. Right then, they were in the cave again, Button having brought his sketchbook while Sweetie Belle brought her notebook. Though the items lay on the floor, as the couple mostly talked with each other as they tilted their heads to the ceiling.
"You know, if you turn your head a certain way..." Button said as he turned his head. "The crystals and gems kind of sort of make a heart." he realized. He turned to Sweetie Belle, who smiled at the shape.
"You know, you might be right." Sweetie giggled. Button shifted his eyes to the notebook with the heart on it. He saw the page it was flipped to and saw no words in it. Catching sight of what he was doing, Sweetie followed his gaze to the notebook.
"Oh, I haven't been inspired to write lately, ever since we... I felt like I lost my touch without you. I wish that I didn't say those words at that Gala. I almost made a huge mistake." she said.
"Sweetie Belle, this isn't like you, you're a strong and creative mare, every time you get the chance, I catch you writing away in your song book. You always know the right words to say and the right keys, you're amazing, but everyone makes mistakes."
"I know, I just wish that I could've been honest from the spot, then I wouldn't be through all of this pain right now." she sighed.
Button set the book he was flipping through down to the floor. "Sweetie Belle, I want you to promise me something,"
"Ok."
"I know that we're not perfect, just like I know that I can be insensitive or too sensitive, as long as we're together, promise me something,"
"What?"
"That we'll tell each other about something important as soon as possible, that we can be honest to each other, and also consider each other's feelings before we make a decision and work out whatever challenge comes ahead of us." Sweetie smiled.
"I promise."
Sweetie looked down as she peered at herself in the mirror. 'The face of a liar.' she thought. Button noticed the sad look on Sweetie's face.
"Thinking about the baby again?" he asked cautiously. Sweetie nodded.
"Yeah." she lied through her teeth. She hated that she could lie so smoothly now, without a thought, once her child comes, she might leave Button alone without her. The very thought made her want to sob. Fortunately, there was the doorbell and a few knocks. "I'll get it."
"Don't worry about it, I'll get it." Button offered. Sweetie was grateful, as he turned towards the door and left, she had the time to slip a few tears before quickly wiping them away.
At the door was Button's mother, who had a plate of sweets. She looked up at the her son in the doorway. "Hello Button." she said. Button smiled at his mother.
"Hi mom." He greeted happily.
"I brought some of my homemade sweets." Button moved to the side as Sweetie Belle stepped up to the two.
"Hi mother-in-law." she said.
"Hello Sweetie Belle, how's my grandchild?"
"They're fine, although, can I ask you a few questions?"
"Anything." she stated as she set the dish on the countertop.
"What was it like for you?" Sweetie Belle as she absentmindedly placed her hoof on her stomach.
"Oh, you might want to sit down, because boy do I have a story for you two." she said. The couple did as told, and Love Tap began her story.
"Ok, so let me start with my first son. I had terrible emotions, and there wasn't a day I hadn't yelled at somepony. Once I started showing however, something sparked inside of me, I knew that I'd have a wonderful child. Though that didn't mean he wouldn't get himself in trouble for the things he'd do when he was younger." she chuckled. "I don't have to tell you all of the things since I'm sure you know about them already." she stated. " But once he came, a whole new world opened up to me. He was the most precious thing in the world to me, at least that was before Button came along. But even then, I've always done what I thought was best for them, I loved them both so much, it was as if I already knew what to do once they came, although I was stressing out over the smallest things. Especially after bringing them home, in fear they'd get hurt or sick, but I came to my senses eventually.
"Although, after I brought Button home, I noticed a bit of jealousy from his older brother. It was difficult to take care of the two of them when they were so young, but I made it through, thanks to my husband, although he did have to go on business trips all the time." she finished.
"I guess it's harder than I thought." Button said. Unexpectedly, his mother started laughing uncontrollably. Leaving the two confused. Finally, after coming to her senses, she wiped a tear from her eye.
"You have no idea." she managed to say.
"Were they really that bad?" Sweetie asked, giggling herself.
"Oh, yeah, where to begin? Ever since day one, it was difficult to wake up and get everything done twenty-four\seven. That's why I became a housewife, at least until Button went to school, but even then, it was a part time job at my sister's place of work." she sighed. "I know that you two will make good parents. But there's so much for you to learn from it, I hope you know what your getting yourself into." she warned.
"I know that it will be difficult." Sweetie Belle said. Remembering past visits to Rarity and her friends' homes when they were juggling around with their kids.
"Well I'm glad that I could be of some help," she pushed the plate to Sweetie Belle, who hungrily threw off the plastic wrap and grabbed a piece of the treat. "And congratulations." she said as she walked out the door. The two looked at each other, Sweetie Belle chewing more slowly now.
"How'd she know that you we-" Button began.
"I guess that it's easy for her to notice since it happened to her two times." Sweetie Belle suggested quickly.
Sweetie Belle was on the windowsill again, a place she didn't have to visit in a while. She knew Button was asleep, and just watched the stars out the window.
"You're a lucky one," she said as she held her stomach. "you're going to have a nice family and friends, and you get to be here." She let a few tears slip out. "I wish that I could tell the truth, but I don't want to risk losing you." she choked. She was nearly sobbing now.
"I'll do whatever it takes to let you be alive, I'll make sure you get to live a happy life. I promise." she looked out the window once more. "Even if it means I have to lose my own."
For the first time in months, I'm actually scared for my life.
I don't know why, I just woke up this morning, the day I was supposed to get a screening for my foal, and I felt fearful of my own life. I noticed Button was not at my side, I find a little note on the pillow.
Sweetie Belle,
I'm sorry that this was so last minute, but I needed to run several errands, so I can't attend the screening. I'll see you in a couple of hours.
-Button
I get out of bed and get ready for the appointment, marking the calendar before I leave, 'One day closer to a foal' I think to myself. I head towards the office, growing more and more anxious as I take steps further. My head keeps filling with terrible unthinkable thoughts, no matter how many times I convince myself nothing bad will happen. I took the pills as instructed, I even had to get another bottle last week, I just hope I've done enough for my foal.
Only, what if it won't survive? Or it's not healthy, or it won't live for a long time after it's born? I dismiss the thought, knowing that the wound should've healed by now, or at least almost completely by now, there's no evidence that it will cause any physical damage.
'But what if something goes wrong during the delivery? Or something else happens to my foal that may injure it? The mare said it was worse than expected, maybe it still could cause physical damage.' A little voice in my head says. It doesn't take long until I bump into a nurse that I realize I'm in the hospital.
"Oh, sorry, I guess my head wasn't in the right place." I blush. The mare chuckles.
"It's quite alright dear, it's natural to feel this worried. This is your first time after all, come on, let's go sign you in." she comforts. I smile thankfully.
"Thank you." I say.
I fill out the paper work and wait in the waiting room, until my name is called.
"Sweetie Belle?" A different pegasus nurse calls out. I stand and walk past her. I smile when I see the doctor and nurse by the machine. I lay down and they immediately set to work. The doctor tries to keep small conversation as she rubs the warm salve on my stomach.
"Nice to see your showing." she smiles as the nurse fiddles with the machine.
"I'm glad you noticed," I say.
"Funny," The nurse inserts. "most of the mares I worked with hate it, I never understood why."
"I don't either." I say. We keep talking for a while until my doctor has a good image of my foal. I gasp at it's little unmistakable features. I saw four tiny hooves and a head. I look at it with happy tears in my eyes. The nurse smiles at the pictures.
"What a beautiful foal."
I smile in glee, happy tears in my eyes. The doctor presses a button and the image is printed out. I levitate it to my face, and cry once more as I look at my foal.
"I love you so much." I whisper. The doctor wastes no time telling me about the health.
"Sweetie Belle I'm happy to tell you that you have a healthy foal, but," I look up as she looks down. "I'm afraid the chance the both of you will live is still small."
I open the door to see Sweetie Belle on the floor, asleep on a pillow she set out. I smile as I shut the door behind me as quietly as possible. I lay down next to her, seeing she was rousing. Her eyes opened to find me, and I had to hold in my laughter at how she jumped with her hair on end.
"That wasn't funny!" she angrily scowls, which eventually turns into a smile itself.
"Sorry Sweetie, I couldn't resist, you look so cute when you're asleep." I teased.
"Oh shut up." she pushes me to the side, causing me to fall over. "Oh my gosh! I'm sorry are you ok?" she worriedly asks as I sit up.
"I'm fine."
"I guess I lost control of my own strength there. I didn't mean to push you over like that." she says.
"Don't worry about it, I'm just wondering where you got your strength." I say as I milk it a bit and rub the arm she punched. She answers with a roll of her eyes and a simple statement.
"I guess It's pregnancy strength, yesterday Apple Bloom came over while you were visiting you brother, and she was crying and saying she didn't mean to crack the side of the barn when Applejack and Big Mac wouldn't let her do anything." she explains.
"Then there's Scootaloo, when she visited the Wonderbolts during training to replace Spitfire, she pushed a male pegasus off of the cloud when he took note that she was showing." My eyes widen in shock.
"You mean she just pushed him out of anger?"
"No, she pushed him to strengthen his reflexes, he was new and Spitfire made it a tradition to do so to new recruits when they weren't looking." she implied.
"Wow." is all I can say. Eventually we talk about something else. "How was the screening?"
She takes out a picture and shows it to me. It takes me a second to realize that it's our foal. I smile at the picture.
She looks at me happily, her eyes glassy, I'll never get used to the beautiful green color. I then remember my errand and rush to retrieve it,
"What's going on? Is everything okay?" she asks in alarm.
"Yep, I just wanted to get this." I pull out the box.
"You know Hearth's Warming was like three weeks ago right?" she jokes.
"Yeah, but my mom wanted me to clean out the house with her, and when we finished, she gave me this. I lay down again and give the box to her. She takes off the top lid and gasps at what's inside.
"I can't believe it." she says. She pulls out the gift and examines it. "It's exactly how I remember it."
"I just thought that we could give it to our foal you know," I suggest.
"You are so sweet Button, you know that, you charming little knight." I blush and look down sheepishly.
"Oh it was nothing." I say. We take out the scrapbook and camera and take pictures of the gift, and stick the photos in the scrapbook.
Later that night, as we climb into bed, both of us exhausted from the long day, I place the present on the night stand. 'Good to see you again old friend.' I say as I set my propeller hat on the nightstand.
"See you later Button." Sweetie Belle said as she wrapped her scarf around.
"See ya later then." Button said. Sweetie Belle walked out into the chilly day, happy that Winter Wrap up would be soon. She eventually made it to the orchard, where she and her friends agreed to meet. She saw Apple Bloom and Scootaloo in the tree house, who waved from the distance. Sweetie Belle trotted up to the tree and climbed the ramp.
"I sure am glad that I hammered in that heater." Apple Bloom said.
"Me too, it's been so long since the four of us could just meet up and chat." Sweetie Belle said. She then remembered what she said. "Oh! Sorry Imp,"
The mare shrugged it off.
"How's it going with the little squirt?" Scootaloo asked as she rubbed the small lump on her stomach.
"Their fine, yours?"
"Same."
"Ah' see ya started showing too." Apple Bloom said.
"Yeah, when was the last time we even talked with each other anyway?"
Imp signed. "A few days?!" Sweetie exclaimed.
"Wow we need to catch up." Scootaloo said.
"That's right, and you know what? We should have a reunion." Sweetie protested.
"What'da ya mean?"
"I mean we should have all of the first crusaders come together again, and catch up with each other you know?" Sweetie Belle said as she started to lay down on a large pillow.
"That's a great idea." Scootaloo agreed.
"Sure, but first, let's catch up now." Apple Bloom reminded the two.
"Well, for starters, my life has been a bit over dramatic lately, for both happy and sad things." Sweetie started. "Last night, Button gave me his old propeller hat, for our foal, but earlier this week, I went through an emotional break down, and he wasn't there, I was about to start throwing things until Button came home." Sweetie sighed.
"Sounds like you've got a lot on your shoulders." Scootaloo implied.
"Yeah, hopefully things won't be so dramatic for a while, I've been on an emotional rollercoaster for months." She said.
"Eight more to go." Imp signed, causing the trio to laugh again.
"Well at least you didn't crack a tree, your house, or nearly your husband's spine after they got ya upset." Apple Bloom said.
"How does Fluttershy get you mad?" Scootaloo joked.
"No, I mean mah family, they said that I couldn't do something I wanted to do any more, so I just got angry, next thing Ah know, mah family's eyes shrunk and were petrified at how the tree came tumbling down." Apple Bloom explained. The mares laughed, whilst Imp whistled a tune.
"I've been reading a lot, from Twilight, it somehow gets your foal into reading, I don't quite get it, but while I'd like my foal to be as awesome and fast as me and Rainbow Dash, I want them to be smart too." Scootaloo interrupted.
"You read?" The three mares looked confused.
"Yeah, it's not like I haven't done it before, but ever since Rainbow Dash first showed me Daring Doo, I became more interested, and with Rumble away all the time, I end up reading for pleasure. Besides, I've always liked reading ever since I was introduced as a foal, I just never told anyone, cept' Imp."
The two mares looked at Imp.
"Ya knew?"
"You knew?' The mare smiled and made a motion with her hoof across her face.
She was saying, "My lips were sealed."
"You could've just told us ya know." Sweetie Belle said. "I read more now than ever, especially when Button's not home, then I turn on music."
"Well it's nice to know that we like ta read, but have ya heard from Babs?"
"No, why?" The two asked.
"Babs is datin'!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.
"Wow really?" Sweetie Belle said.
"Yep. Some stallion she was friends with, I think that he was apart of the Manehattan Branch." Apple Bloom said.
"Speaking of relationships, we need to start making plans for the wedding this Fall." Imp signed the three.
"You're right, Ah've been working on the sketches, what'cha think of yours?" She showed the Nymph the design she brought in her sketchbook, and Imp smiled.
"Glad ya like it, took all day to get the coloring right." Apple Bloom said as she glanced down proudly on the sketch below.
"By the way, I'm really sorry about how I didn't have you in my wedding Imp," Sweetie Belle said.
Imp shrugged.
"No, I'm super sorry I glanced over you when I was looking for bridesmares."
"It's ok, I didn't want to anyway, I had to tend the forest during the fittings and rehearsals." She signed to the unicorn.
"Ok then," Sweetie Belle said.
"Hey girls, did I tell you about what happened to Pipsqueak last week?" Apple Bloom began.
"No what?" Scootaloo said.
"He was trying to be a gentlecolt and tried doing the repairs around the farm." She giggled at the thought. "He was fixing the windows to the farm when he slipped and fell into the hay. Ah swear that that pony is to much of a gentlecolt for his own good. Ah can't tell you how many times ah had to describe the specific color ah wanted for Mina's dress." The other mares laughed at the short story, eventually she continued. "Of course Rarity likes to help, always coming to my house and bringing sketches and fabrics that might work, and with her help, the wedding dress is finished."
"Wow Apple Bloom, I never knew that Pipsqueak could be too helpful." Sweetie remarked.
"You think you've got it bad? Every time Rumble is home, he's always asking 'Want to go flying?' or 'Want to go out for dinner?' Whenever I do agree, he's always over doing it. I mean, I'm fine with how he regularly treats me when he's home, but now he's offering to take of a few months just to be with me, I just made four months, If I wanted him around just to be with me all the time, I would've asked." She ranted.
"No offense, but that doesn't sound that bad." Imp signed.
"I know it doesn't, and I should be thankful, but, I don't feel comfortable asking ponies for things I don't need, or that I can do myself, he treats me like I'll never get out of bed in the morning, or that he may never see me again."
"Well, I think that he's trying to make up for not being around all the time." Sweetie Belle inferred.
"I guess that you're right." Scootaloo said after thinking for a minute.
"Yeah, I mean Button and Pipsqueak do it, Button brings gifts for me, or gets the groceries for me all of the time when I'm left alone,"
"And It's like ah' said before with Pipsqueak, you just have ta get used to it." Apple Bloom agreed.
"I guess that you guys are right, I just wish that he won't take it too far, I don't want him making stupid decisions for me, I'd rather talk about it with him. Before I got my unexpected pregnancy, we were having an argument, but now, it's like he's forgotten about it."
"I understand that." Imp signed.
The three mares looked at Imp. "How?" They asked.
"Every time a stallion sees me, for some reason, they are offering me gifts I don't need, and giving me letters when I'm hanging out with you." Imp explained.
"Looks like some stallions have a crush on ya." Apple Bloom teased, causing Imp to blush a slightly darker shade of her coat.
"Just like Rarity, you should ask her about it," Sweetie Belle suggested.
"You think so?" Imp asked.
"We know so." Apple Bloom said.
"So what's your role for Winter-Wrap up guys?" Scootaloo asked, changing the subject.
"Ah'm making the birds' nests," Apple Bloom answered.
"I'm supposed to help with clearing the snow and ice." Sweetie said. " What about you Imp?"
Imp shook her head.
"You won't be able to attend" Sweetie said.
Imp shook her head.
"No we're wrong, or no meaning Sweetie Belle was right?" Scootaloo said, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
Imp sighed and signed again.
"Oh, ok, guess we'll have to do without ya," Apple Bloom said disappointedly.
"It's ok, I'm sure you've got a good reason why." Sweetie Belle said.
"Yeah, but what should I do? Rainbowdash won't let me get the southern birds or kick the clouds. What else can I do?" Scootaloo pouted.
"You're not that bad on ice skates anymore, besides, I'm not sure if there's enough ponies to break it down." Apple Bloom suggested.
"I guess that'll work." Scootaloo said. She then looked out the window to find that the sun was going down. "Shoot, I lost track of time, Rumble'll be here any minu-" She was stopped by a knock on the door.
"Scootaloo?" A slightly raspy voice asked.
"I'm coming." Scootaloo sighed. "See you girls tomorrow." She said.
"Ah' suppose that I should go too, even though it's slightly warming up, Ah still et chilled to the bone in this weather. See ya later girls." Apple Bloom yelled out, following Scootaloo out the door.
"I should go, you can come to my house if you'd like." Imp smiled at the offer but shook her head.
"I understand, see you later then Imp." Sweetie Belle said.
"Later." The Nymph signed.
Sweetie Belle headed home, happy to get all of those words off of her chest.
Everypony was outside, vests on and awaiting instructions from the leaders of each team. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had convinced their sisters to let them help like everyone else. Mina and the former Cmc stood next to the team leaders, who were speaking with the team of ponies looking up on what to do.
"Thanks for comin' everyone, we really need yall's help this year planting our food, so let's give it our all and do our best. Let's get into the true spirit of Winter Wrap Up," Everyone cheered at Applejack's words.
"Let's give it our all to clear the sky and melt the snow!" Rainbow dash encouraged, her children cheering loudly with everypony else.
"And help the animals come back fro hibernation." Fluttershy said, Perplexity cooing happily on her back with her on little vest.
"Yeah!" Everyone chanted.
"Then let's get to work shall we?" Twilight declared as she stepped up in her modified outfit. They each parted separate ways, the weather team heading to ponds and lakes and flying into the air to clear the clouds.
The farming team heading to the fields and gardens to plow and plant.
And the animal team went to the homes of all of the sleeping animals, they immediately set to work as Twilight went to check the stock on hay for the bird's nests.
"See you later Button." Sweetie Belle said as she turned away.
"Don't strain yourself," The green vest stallion said worriedly.
"I should say the same for the stallion who'll be pulling a heavy snow plow through thick ice." She teased. Button smiled as they made their separate ways.
*****
"Three months of freezing snow-ins, with awesome holidays,"
"We took time off with our families, stayed at home and played,
"But the food we've stored is running out, and we can't grow with the snow,"
"It's time to welcome back the Spring, and say goodbye to the cold..."
Twilight Sparkle came trotting up the road, giving out shovels to pegasi clearing the snow, and bells to set up for waking the animals. Having heard the four, she joined in as well, "The time's come to welcome Spring, and all things warm and green, but it's also time to say goodbye, it's Winter we must clean, as you all can see, we have a big job to do, so let's get to it without our magic, so Spring can come through..." She sang. Everyone joined along as they wrapped up Winter for the town of Ponyville.
"Winter Wrap Up, Winter Wrap up! Let's finish up this holiday cheer," They sang out boldly.
"Winter Wrap Up, Winter Wrap up, 'cause tomorrow Spring is here, cause tomorrow Spring is here." Scootaloo used her shovel to clear the rooftops of snow with several other pegasi. Whilst Mina melted some of the extra snow with Spike, resulting in her helping on the weather team.
"Bringing home the Southern birds, most pegasus' job begins," Scootaloo shoveled the snow to the ground and in to a watering carriage.
"Melting all of the snow and ice to let the sunshine in," Mina, who was melting it to turn it into water, sang next.
"We warm the town and clear the way of snow,"
"As the sun comes out, Spring's beauty will glow!" The two sang together.
"Winter Wrap Up, Winter Wrap Up,"
"Let's finish up this holiday cheer." Pinkie Pie said, skidding to a stop on her skates.
"Winter Wrap Up, Winter Wrap Up,"
"'Cause tomorrow Spring will be here,"
"Winter Wrap Up, Winter Wrap Up,"
"Cause tomorrow Spring is here, cause tomorrow Spring is here." Rarity and Fluttershy sang together.
"Many animals rest through the chilling winter days and nights," Sweetie Belle sang out.
"We wake them up and fix their homes, underneath the ice." Apple Bloom continued.
"We help gather up all of their food, and do our best to make them feel at home,"
"We welcome back the southern birds, so their families can grow!" They sang harmoniously.
"Winter,Winter," Rarity and Sweetie Belle sang out.
"Winter Wrap Up, Winter Wrap Up, let's finish up this holiday cheer," Everyone continued.
"Winter,Winter,"
"Winter Wrap Up, Winter Wrap Up, let's finish up this holiday cheer,"
By this time, a lot of nests were done due to their being a lot of ponies working on them, and were being set in trees, Twilight's daughter, who had been following her, checked it off of the list. They moved on to the ice skaters who were moving gracefully in a graph formation to separate the ice. Pinkie nodded to Twilight as her daughter did as her mother. Twilight's son, who had a separate checklist, checked off melting the ice just as his sister did. Twilight had no problem with them both having one, this way they won't have to double check, though they do it anyway.
"Winter,Winter,"
"Winter Wrap Up, Winter Wrap Up, cause tomorrow Spring is here, cause tomorrow Spring is here."
The Southern Birds had just arrived really early just as Twilight checked with the animal group, which had bells tied primly above the homes of the animals below. Taking their place, the Southern birds watched as Screwball pulled at the rope cord wrapped around a tree branch. The bells rung easily and the animals emerged from the hole. Fluttershy heard the flapping of two pairs of wings as the snakes came out, and wasn't surprised to find Twilight and her daughter, in the air, who was nervously checking off her list as her brother rolled his eyes and checked his. Next was the farming.
"No easy task to clear the ground, plant our tiny seeds," Applejack looked at the small seed with a sprout shooting out of it. Her daughter continued staring hopefully and excitedly at the ponies pulling the plows and planting seeds down below, just as her cousins swooped in and checked it off the list.
"With proper care and sunshine, everyone it feeds," Applejack continued.
"Apples," Her daughter joined,
"Carrots," Her son added.
"Celery stalks, colorful flowers too, we must work so very hard, it's just so much to do!" Apple Bloom trotted over to her sister and saw the neat rows of seeds being planted.
"We finished with the nests, now your promise." Apple Bloom accused.
"What promise?" Johnny asked.
"Ah' promised your aunt to let her help, and as soon as the pegasi finish up with clearing most of the snow, Ah'll give her a job to do." Applejack explained.
"How come she couldn't help before?" Her daughter asked.
"Ah' don't want her to strain herself by pulling a plow, so I'm letting her plant and water some seeds." Applejack said simply.
"Speakin' of jobs, what's the hold up?" Apple Bloom asked. She caught a glimpse of Scootaloo's shadow and looked up to see the orange mare flying at low and slow pace.
"Hey Scoots! What's the big hold up? Shouldn't the sky be nearly clear by now?"
"Yeah, we just need to hear the sign-" A loud screech from a far off bird cut her off, and suddenly, Rainbowdash came racing from the sky, a whole tunnel full of pegasi behind her and collecting snow and ice, and any of the poor clouds in the sky. From a distance, they saw The Sparkles make a movement with their quills.
"Guess that ya start now sis." Applejack said. Apple Bloom grinned. She gathered a giant package of seeds and was directed where to plant them and water over them. There were already other ponies in the field, and eventually everyone was working on the crops. keeping pests out, watering them, planting saplings and seeds, all through the night.
*******************************************
Twilight looked out into the warm night sky, and smiled down at her children in an fruit cart Flash was pulling next to her. She looked over to the former Cmc, who were doing their best to keep their own eyes open, sometimes having them cross or go in different directions like Ditzy's before nodding off for a few seconds.
"Girls, if you want to take a short break, you can." Twilight suggested.
"Yeah," Button said behind Sweetie Belle, he was pulling a watering cart as Sweetie Belle before him planted the seeds.
"You shouldn't strain yourselves, we're almost done anyways." Pipsqueak agreed.
"Do you know what your doing?" Scootaloo asked Rumble after giving him the seeds.
"Yeah, I've done it before, you should get some-" The three had already dozed off in the grass next to the fields. "rest." He finished. He smiled at the trio and continued his work. They continued plowing into the early morning, in which it was finally done. Winter was completely wrapped up. Twilight trotted up the hill and looked down at the town below as she climbed the steep hill.
"Now that we've done what we had to do, we all found our place, and worked with all of our hearts, many tough times we faced. But we went through it without our magic, helped the Earth pony way, we each did our part and did our best today, did our best today..."
Winter Wrap Up, Winter Wrap Up,"
"We finished up our holiday cheer," The weather team caroled.
"Winter Wrap Up, Winter Wrap Up,"
"Cause today Spring is finally here," The plantation team replied.
"Cause today Spring is finally here, cause today Spring is finally here, cause today Spring is here...."
Twilight looked down at the cheering ponies of Ponyville. All of which were enjoying the warm sun. "We've all worked hard for this day to come and now, the sun is shining, the animals are awake, and our food is planted." Everyone cheered again. "I'd like to thank all of you for your hard work to wrap up our beloved season, I owe a thank you to each and every one of you for the hardships you've been through. Happy Spring everybody!" The town rejoiced, and celebrated briefly before heading back to their homes, many foals playing around in the cleared out parks and fields. Button carried Sweetie Belle home, smiling at the are sprawled across his back.
"Happy Spring Sweetie Belle." He watched hopefully at the little foals playing with their parents and smiled.
Sweetie Belle awoke to sunlight pouring into the room from her window. She sat up in bed to find Button gone, and in his place were cherry blossoms and rose petals, filling the room with their scent as she smiled and followed the trail. It continued into the kitchen, where a heaping plate of chocolate chip heart shaped pancakes awaited with a card next to it. Sweetie Belle sat down and ate as she read the card.
To my beloved Sweetie Belle,
Today for Hearts and Hooves day, I'll give you this day of relaxation. Starting with these pancakes. To show my sweet love to you, finish these pancakes to find the next clue.
Sweetie Belle giggled at the cheesy poem inside, knowing Button only made it that way to make her smile. As she finished eating, she found a note sticking out from under the plate. Picking it up, she read it.
With this next clue, I hope that you'll find your way, go to a place you visit for a relaxed day. Sweetie Belle immediately thought of the spa and headed there, when her mother, Button's mother, and Rarity waited in the hot tub, filled with bubbles.
"So glad you could make it Sweetie Belle, and just on time." Rarity said. She tapped her hooves twice on the rim and two spa ponies came in to give her a special treatment. For the next three hours, Sweetie Belle went through massages, hot tubs, seaweed wraps, and more, where her mother gave her the next clue.
"I'm off to go on my date with FancyPants, we'll see you later Sweetie." She said. Sweetie bid them her thanks and looked down at the slip of paper to read the next clue.
The next clue will keep you looking for more, go to the Apple orchards.
Sweetie Belle giggled again at the cheesy poem, and smiled as she made the short trip out of town. Once she made it there, she found Apple Bloom with her siblings and Pipsqueak.
"Hey Sweetie Belle, glad you can make it. The next clue's at the tree house." Apple Bloom said. She found Scootaloo and Rumble, Mrs. Cheerilee, and Imp there with a gigantic card.
"Remember when you girls made a card like this?" Cheerilee asked with a smug look on her face. They all looked away and blushed. "This time, our husbands made this for us, how sweet!" Ms. Cheerilee said excitedly.
"We sure are lucky mares." Sweetie Belle agreed. She closely examined the edge of the card and read some neat little words.
I hope you're feeling relaxed and well, the next clue is somewhere full of treats to sell.
Sweetie Belle looked to up from the card and sighed at the long path she would have to take.
"Button knew you'd feel tired, so he asked me to make ya this." She held out a basket filled with Apples and a slice of her famous Apple Pie. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo's mouths watered at the scent. Apple Bloom gave the basket to Sweetie Belle and picked up another for Scootaloo, who blushed and took it, while Rumble smiled down at the blushing pegasus.
"Happy Hearts and Hooves day." They all said.
"Happy Hearts and Hooves day geveryone." Sweetie Belle answered back.
She started towards Sugarcube Corner, the place she knew the next clue would be.
Taking an apple out, she took several bites out of it until she reached Sugarcube Corner. She went inside and sat down, where there were a bunch of couples eating treats together. Mrs. Cake saw her and whispered to her husband.
"Hello Sweetie Belle!" Mrs. Cake said as she walked up to the expecting mare.
"Hello Mrs. Cake." She replied. "How are you?"
"I'm doing just fine, and how's your foal?" Sweetie smiled.
"Wonderful, thank You. Did Button come by today?"
"Actually, he did. He left just a minute ago." Mr. Cake answered.
"Ok, he told me to cohere for something, I'm assuming you know what it is."
"Oops, how could I forget, follow me." She escorted Sweetie Belle to the table they drank milkshakes together.
She found two milkshakes and a note. Picking them up, she read the slip.
Now that you found our milkshakes, go to the place we had our first date.
Sweetie Belle thanked the Cakes, took the milkshakes, and headed off to the gazebo. By this time, it was noon and the sun was directly overhead. She found another note as she sipped at the chocolate milkshake.
Congratulations, you found the last clue, now go to a place full of love for just me and you.
This one was easy for Sweetie Belle. She took a turn for the Everfree Forrest where she found even more petals deep along the trail. In a way in which it would be just regular petals to anyone else, but noticeable for her.
'He really did want this one to be special...' She thought. She found the cave and walked around the water fall, careful not to get their treats wet, and found Button Mash inside.
"Button!" She exclaimed. Button was caught by surprise as she jumped on him and knocked him back.
"Hello Sweetie Belle." He said with the mare on top of him. They lay there and talked for a while, Sweetie Belle talking about seeing a lot of their friends and the gifts. Button talking about getting up early to set everything up and how he couldn't get everyone since some of their friends were spending their Hearts and Hooves day in a different way.
"....Then I came here." He finished. They finally realized their position and got off of each other. Button looked at the milkshakes, which had partially melted.
"Want to drink those now, while we have the chance?" He asked. Sweetie had forgotten all about them. She smiled as Button took two straws and set them in. The two tapped their milkshakes together.
"Happy Hearts and Hooves day." They said. And they drank as the day slipped into the night, watching he sun set over the town and have the glow of Luna's moon show on the forest floor.
Later that night, as the two sat in the cave, talking to their heart's contempt, Sweetie Belle felt a fluttering in her stomach. "Whoa!" She said, catching Button by surprise.
"You ok?" Button asked worriedly. Sweetie Belle blushed and assured him everything was fine.
"Yeah, it's just, I'm still getting use to those kicks." Sweetie Belle said, wincing as she felt another towards her ribs.
"Well... what's it like?" He asked.
"It's, hard to describe, it's like something's moving around inside of me, and tapping the wall of my stomach." She sighed. "And it gets worse with each passing week."
"Let me feel it." Button offered. As soon as he put his hoof on her stomach, he felt a tap on his hoof. "That is a lot harder than I expected." He agreed. Sweetie closed her eyes and sighed.
"They've been doing this ever since I got that shot." She chuckled.
"Do you think we're doing this right?" Button asked out of nowhere.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, do you think that we're really ready for this? Can you handle the months ahead?" He asked.
"I... don't know. But no one said this would be easy. When Twilight first figured she was expecting, she freaked out. Even after months of preparation and her son came, she wasn't completely prepared. But who is? Our parents had dealt with it before us, and still had trouble. I guess that we'll just have to... go with it, you know?' She answered.
"You know you can let me know if you feel like something is wrong." He said. It took a long time before Sweetie Belle could reply.
"I will." She looked away.
Sweetie Belle sat in bed, writing in the very back of her notebook, tense since she was afraid he would wake up. Tears brimmed at her eyes as she wrote in the notebook, a few splashing on the page. She looked down at Button, who was deep in sleep.
"I love you so much." She whispered. Putting the notebook behind her pillow, she closed her eyes and turned off the lamp, silent tears streaming down her face.
'I'm so sorry Button, I hope you know that I always love you." The words echoed in her mind as Hearts and Hooves Day came to a close.
"....we went to the clouds to count the stars." Scootaloo said dreamily. The other crusaders looked at each other with smug looks. "What?"
"I thought that you hated romance." Sweetie Belle implied.
"You mean before I started having a crush, dating, marrying, and getting pregnant six months ago?" Scootaloo shot back teasingly.
"Good point." Apple Bloom said. "Speakin' of which, my foal is kicking like crazy in there." She gestured to her stomach.
"Tell me about it." The other two said.
"Whenever I try to sleep," Scootaloo encouraged, "my foal is either kicking or my back hurts." She said.
"Not to mention they're always fluttering around inside you like there's literally butterflies inside my stomach. If I even go near hay or onions, I get sick." Sweetie Belle said. The three of them laughed.
"Can ya believe we're all six months?" Apple Bloom said as they looked at the cloudy sky.
"It feels just like yesterday we were becoming friends." Scootaloo said.
"And we made the club, added Babs, Imp, and Discord," Sweetie continued.
"And all of those adventures we went on." Apple Bloom said distantly.
"Yeah, we can trust each other with anything, after all we've been through." Scootaloo said. Sweetie Belle looked to the side, pausing while her friends talked.
"You ok Sweetie Belle?" The two asked, immediately taking notice. Sweetie Belle sighed, tears brimming in her eyes.
"Is it something sad?" Scootaloo asked. She nodded while the tears ran down her face.
"When I found out the news six months ago, I was so thrilled.... but then...." She started to sob, glad they were in the treehouse alone.
"We won't judge ya, tell us anything." Apple Bloom assured her friend.
"S-she said that, either me or my foal could die. The damage I took hadn't fully healed, and my pregnancy can end in my foal's death, or my own." By this time, her friends were fighting back their own tears.
"D-does Button know?" Apple Bloom tried saying maturely, but ended up with her voice cracking.
"No, I didn't want him to worry about me."
"You should tell him Sweetie-" Scootaloo
"No! I can't, it'll break his heart, he may become apprehensive, or never forgive me after lying after all this time." She wiped her wet face. "Just, please don't tell anyone, only me and my doctor know. I want to have this foal while I have a chance, even if it costs my own life. Please don't tell him!!" Sweetie begged.
The mares looked with sad looks on their faces, it took a long time for them to respond. " Ok Sweetie Belle." Apple Bloom finally said. "Ah' don't like this, but if you want this, there's nothin' ah' can do to change your decision."
"But..." Scootaloo choked out, she was in a mixture of sadness and anger. "if something were to happen to you, what are we going to do?"
Sweetie looked at her lifelong best friends. The trio had been through so much together, travelled many places, and were able to depend on and trust each other in the deepest circumstances. Sweetie Belle smiled the lump in her throat and wiped her face clean of any tears.
"Move on."
Here it was, the day was finally here! Button had waited a year for this day to come, and it finally has. It was Sweetie Belle's birthday. He had planned this for months, Twilight was proud when he first confronted her about it, and was more than happy to help. They were going to celebrate Sweetie Belle's birthday at the park, where they would have a party all day.
'I have to get Cheese and Pinkie to help with the party, and the Cakes to bake the treats, get Twilight's help with the schedule, I'd better get going.' He stepped out of bed, careful not to wake up his wife, knowing it'd be hours before she'd wake up. He went as quickly and quietly as possible down the stairs, and went out the door. He met up with Pinkie Pie and Cheese, who fell asleep standing.
"Thanks for coming," Button said. Cheese snapped awake.
"Do we have to be up this early?" Pinkie complained. She looked at the sunrise. "The roosters aren't even up yet." She yawned.
"I thought that you were one for partying all night." Button asked.
"When you become a parent, you'll understand." Cheese yawned.
"Can you set up the party please?"
"Of course, why do you think we brought our silent party canons?" Cheese said as the two pulled them out of nowhere.
"How-"
"When you have kids, you'll understand." Pinkie Pie giggled, awake now.
"Thanks." Button replied. He started off to SugarCube Corner, where the Cakes were bustling about, preparing treats for the upcoming day ahead.
Mrs. Cake's ears perked up as she heard the door creak open. "Hello Button," She said before turning around and walking to him.
"How'd you know it was me?" He asked.
"When you're a parent, you'll understand." She answered. "You're checking to make sure the treats are doing well?" She asked.
"Yeah, I am."
"Don't worry," Mr. Cake grunted as he set down several bags of sugar and flour on the ground. "They'll be done just in time for the party." Mr. Cake assured. Button smiled and headed to Ponyville castle. He knocked on the door once before finding a young bright orange face staring up at him from behind it.
"Oh, hi mister Button," The colt said. "I'll go get my mom." He left and returned with Twilight and his sister.
"Hi Button, glad that you made it. I already made a checklist." She teleported a clip board to her, on it was a long list. Button drooped his ears figuring it would be a long morning. To deepen his mood, the paper unfolded showing more things to check.
"See you later kids, and don't wake your dad, he just got off of work." She lectured the two. The two nodded.
"We won't!" They exclaimed as they quickly ran behind the door.
"I guess I'll be going..." Twilight said. Just as the two turned around, the door opened again and the two foals came out to hug their mother and each kissed her on the cheek, causing her to smile and blush.
"Good luck mom." The two said in unison before running back inside once more.
"What was that all about?" Button questioned.
"Kids always do the unexpected, you'll understand-"
"I know, I know, when I'm a parent." Button intruded.
"Right, so," Twilight cleared her throat. "Did you check with the Cakes and Pinkie and Cheese like I asked?" She said, taking out a fresh owl quill.
"Yes, I did." Button answered casually.
"Good," Twilight checked the first two things. "The invitations are sent?"
"Yep." She checked the box next to invitations. The two continued and walked around town until it was bustling with activity. They checked to make sure the stage was rented, went to the farm to check with the Apple treats, went back to the park to check with Pinkie and Cheese, and went to the musician's homes. It was around eleven when they finally finished with the checklist, the park full of ponies putting the finishing touches to the party while the guests started to arrive. Soon enough, everyone was there, and Button went home to get Sweetie Belle.
He unlocked the door to find Sweetie Belle writing in her song book. She turned around to see where the extra light came from and found Button.
"Happy Birthday Sweetie Belle." He said. She smiled and set down the book, book marking a page and steeped up to him. She nuzzled him for a while before they broke apart
"Not surprised that you remembered." She said.
"How could I forget about the day my precious wife was born?" He said.
"Well, considering you memorized every cheat code in the book, and all of your scores on NS4, I'm not surprised." She said.
"Shoot." Button jokingly said. He led the way to the park, where as son as she stepped in the grass, a burst of confetti came out and everyone cheered, scaring the young unicorn into getting giggles and hiccups."
"You *hic* all did this *hic* for me?" She said happily. Everyone laughed as the mare blushed and laughed with them. She walked to the center of the area they where her family, friends, and in-laws stood to greet her.
"Happy Birthday Sweetie Belle." Her mother and father said in unison. The two hugged their youngest daughter happily. Rarity came in afterwards.
"We may have always had our differences, and a lot of arguments, but I'm happy to celebrate the birthday of my little sister." She hugged her sister much more primly and gently than the gentle bear hug her parents gave her. Fancy Pants stood by with his children.
"Greatest wishes to you sister in-law." He said.
"Thank you." She told them. From behind, she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to see Apple Bloom with Scootaloo, Imp and to her surprise, Babs.
"Happy Birthday Sweetie." They told her, Imp smiling and nodding along with them. "Thanks girls, and thanks for coming Babs."
"You kiddin'? I wouldn't miss this for any appointment." She said. She then felt someone patting her head and looked up to see her taller brother in-law standing before her.
"Hey little sis, how's my nephew treating ya?" She pushed him away half heartedly and grinned. '"My foal is fine, we don't know the gender, we're keeping it a surprise." She explained like a little sister would.
"I don't need to know. I know it'll be a colt."
"Whatever?" She rolled her eyes and smiled as Button's parents came to greet them.
"Happy Birthday Sweetie Belle." The two congratulated.
"Thank you. Now that we have that out the way, we can continue with our party, shall we?" everyone cheered at her words and the music begun, Octavia and Noteworthy playing several tunes that mixed with the beats of Vinyl and Neon Lights' music. As the music played, there was always someone dancing to it, whether it be a pony, zebra, Draconequos, or dragon.
'I can't believe that everyone came to see me for my birthday,' Sweetie Belle thought as she looked out at all of her different friends laughing and dancing with each other, the little kids running around with sparklers as the day turned to the early evening, slipping on different shades of pink, blue, indigo and purple as the stars poked out of the sky.
"What a beautiful night huh?" A muscular voice asked. She turned around to see two familiar faces across the table full of treats. She found two faces she hadn't seen in a long time.
"Snips? Snails?" She asked. The two beamed and nodded. They weren't the same colts as before, taller, longer hair, definitely different voices. It was as though the ponies she imagined sent in two completely different look-a-likes in their place.
"It's been so long! Ever since you guys moved away a few years ago, I never thought you'd come back here." She said.
"Well, we came here because of this." Snails said as he lifted a ring from around his neck. Sweetie Belle looked at it in surprise.
"You married too? Wow, I've missed out on a lot, I haven't seen you two in ages."
"Yeah, you've changed too, your hair is longer, you're much taller, and you're voice isn't as squeaky before." Snips said.
"I get it, so who's the lucky mare?" Snails looked to the side, Sweetie followed his gaze to Twist.
"I had no idea you married Twist! Ever since she moved away to open her candy shop a few years back, I haven't heard from her until my wedding."
"Oh yeah, you married Button, where is he anyway?" Snips asked.
"Oh he's over there, talking wit Rarity." She pointed in his direction and the stallions gasped at how he looked so different.
"Have we really been gone for that long?" Snips asked.
"Yeah, you even missed the big news."
"What news?" The three of them asked; Twist coming from where she was to check on Snails. Sweetie stepped from behind the table, in which her full body was being shown, shocking the trio.
"Whoa Sweetie Belle!" Twist said, her voice had changed, and she no longer had a lisp in it, She wore small purple glasses and her red curly hair in a ponytail. Her pink eyes filled with surprise.
"Had we really been gone that long?" She asked.
"Yeah, I could say the same about myself."
"I'm... surprised and happy for you Sweetie Belle." Snails said.
"Yeah, me too, let's catch up some other time, they're playing our song!" Twist agreed. She led Snails to the floor where an upbeat melody was playing, every couple went out and danced to it, and Snips just stood there, sighing.
"You'd think that after so long, we would've both been married or split apart." He said out of nowhere to Sweetie Belle. "But I'm still a bachelor and single. And Snails and I have our own lives now, I have my salon here, he and Twist will make a sweet shop, maybe even work with the cakes, or have a successful business together." He sighed.
"Am I rushing this?"
"Yeah, don't rush into happiness, because as soon as it comes, that's as soon as it will go. You'll find you special somepony one day, took me ten years to marry mine." Sweetie Belle said.
"Thanks for listening, Happy Birthday Sweetie Belle." Just as she was about to walk off, he stopped her.
"Wait." She looked back. "I've been through a lot of pain and sadness in my lifetime, but I always had Snails, because I rushed into things, you have a life I'd give my right arm for, great friends, great marriage, enough to have them celebrate this one night for you. And..."
"Yeah?"
"I know it's silly, and rushed, but, please don't make the same mistake I did, seeing an old friend again, I want to see them happy, just please..." He paused as the song came to a close a new one coming on as Button walked to Sweetie Belle.
"Hey Snips, long time no see, thanks for coming, you mind if I steal Sweetie Belle for a minute?"
"Not at all, just finishing up a conversation."
"Ok, talk to ya later, c'mon Belle, they're playing our song." He walked off, waiting for Sweetie to find him.
"S-see ya later Snips."
"don't waste your chance." The stallion finished as he stared at a flower petal that landed on the cloth. Just loud enough for Sweetie Belle to hear as she walked away.
'Don't waste your chance' the words echoed in my head all night, even though Snips had whispered it, he may as well have shouted it with the way I hear it so clearly in my mind. It kept my eyelids from getting heavy, even after such a long and tiring beautiful day and evening of dancing and laughing. I can't stop thinking about what my friend said. What did he go through that made his life so miserable? Could Snails be his first and only true best friend? Why does he emphasize so much happiness for me? More and more questions stirred around in my mind throughout the night, my foal's kicking wasn't helping either.
'Was he talking about me?' Thump.
'Our foal?' Thump.
'My whole life, marriage and friends?' Thump, thump.
'Could it be that he's apprehensive or worried about my future? Or was he thinking about how his choices ruined his future? What choices did he make to need to say that to me? In what ways did his life change? Am I already making that mistake?' As my foal kicked at my ribs, I looked to Button, sleeping so peacefully without a trouble I the world.
That's when he wrapped his arm around me, like a child does with a toy. He tightened his embrace as he held me closer, stopping the pounding thumping in my stomach and my heart.
'What is gong on through his head?' I couldn't help but think. Eventually I fall asleep, pulled into a dream landscape by fatigue, and the feeling of Button protecting me.
As I plunge into a dream, I find myself young again, Button standing right in front of me, a cold look in his eyes.
"Button!" I squeak out. I trot up to my friend as I remember the memory from so long ago. He moves to the side, the world shattering into colorful pieces. He stood behind me, talking so coldly it made me shiver as though there was something cold slipping down my spine.
He murmured something I couldn't hear from behind him, still in shock as to how quickly my dream changed.
"What are you saying?" My voice echoed across the black space.
"I trusted you." He says more harshly.
"Wh-what?" I say uneasily. I suddenly find myself turn and look into his cold orange eyes. Shrunken in hatred.
"I trusted you!!" He shouts out, his voice echoing but never fading. "How could you lie to me!! Don't you love me!"
"Of course I do!!" I try to shout over the shouts of anger as the turned into wailing, crying, my foal...
"You can't even keep a promise, our promise, how am I supposed to believe that!!" The crying became louder even as I crushed my hooves to ears.
"What are you doing to them?!" I scream out, tears coming out my eyes. I know it's my foal, it has to be, I have to get to it. I find my eyes are squeezed shut and open them to find myself in a grassy field. The wailing stopped, Button gone too. I find a fog surrounding me, sticking to my coat as I walk down a path, as though I've taken it before.
I bump into something from the ground, a large rock I hadn't noticed before. I look down to find it's a gravestone. I turn around sharply to find that they're surrounding me. I run. I have to get away from this terrible place, the pounding in my heart seeming to shake through me. I find myself growing s my tears mix with the falling rain that starts to pour.
Where is my protector? My knight in Shining Armor? Where's Button Mash. I hear another wailing, only not a foal's, it sounds like...I run to the source and find myself in the hospital.
"What's going on!!" I shout.
I find myself in a hospital room, ponies running around and getting instruments as they work on the patient, and from the heart monitor, the poor pony doesn't seem like it will make it. I hear wailing from the hallways, it sounds like it's coming from my sister, my mother, my father, it can't be them, who could they possibly be crying over? It doesn't hit me until I find Button by the pony's side, wearing a mask and pleading the pony to stay with him. Shouting and yelling as the doctors try their best to revive the corpse of a body. I then find a lock of messy pink and purple hair come from the side.
The monitor stops, making a long beep as the patient's heart stops. It can't be.
"What are you doing!?" Button yelled out angrily. "Don't just stand there!! Do something!!" The nurses tried reasoning with him, but he pushed them away. From where I was standing on the far side of the room, I could see the tears on his face.
"I can't, I can't, I can't lose both of you..." He wailed. he doctors all looked down, emotionless as they watched the stallion I love cry over someone so important to him.
I turn around to find my self in the cemetery again. Everyone I know wearing black, many dabbing at their wet faces with cloth and linens. I see Button standing next to an open coffin, and find myself inside.
'This can't be..' From the side I see Snips looking towards me, shaking his head. His words echoing through the world, completely oblivious to everything. "Don't ruin your chance..."
The world drifts away, the last thing I see being two coffins, one with my name on it.
"Wake up Sweetie Belle." I hear a familiar voice say.
"Princess Luna." I say. I run to her with my tear stained face, new ones running over the dry ones.
"I came when I saw you dreams filled with torment and sadness. Listen to your friend Sweetie Belle." The stars around us n the Celestial plane started to ripple like water as she floated away.
Sweetie Belle was heading to the train station, last week, she and the other former Crusaders agreed to meet up in Manehattan for their meet up. She was excited to see the Manehattan branch again, having met them a few times before. She met with Apple Bloom, Babs, and Scootaloo with a small suitcase around her neck.
"Hey Sweetie Belle." They all said. They all sat on the bench as they waited for Imp. They all agreed to go with Babs to Manehattan so that she and the other Crusaders wouldn't have to go back and forth. As Imp finally made it to the platform, the train arrived, excited, they all boarded it.
"I can't wait to see the other Crusaders from the Manehattan Branch again." Sweetie Belle said.
"When you called us about the meet up, they were just as excited as you are." Bas said.
"It's been ages since we've seen them." Imp signed.
"Tell me about it." Scootaloo agreed.
"Well they miss you guys as much as you miss them. Ruby and Rose should meet us at the Café." Babs said. Ruby and Tulip were the two other members from Manehattan. Ruby was a ruby colored unicorn with pink mane with red at the roots. Her talent was being able to specify and craft with gems, and became a popular jeweler. Tulip was a tulip orange earth pony who had a passion for plants and enjoyed gardening She had light green eyes and red with yellow at it's tips hair, making the shape of an upside down tulip. The three of them still hung out together all of the time, and would often visit with the Ponyville branch over holidays, and they all became good friends, they even brought Discord along once. Imp met them after she became good friends with the Crusaders after a year of meeting them.
They sat in their seats after giving the tickets to the conductor of the train.
"So Babs, Apple Bloom told me that you're dating." Scootaloo smirked. Babs blushed.
"I told you not to tell 'em" Babs said, lightly pushing her cousin to the side.
"Sorry, couldn't help it." Apple Bloom said as she playfully closed one eye and stuck her tongue out to her cousin. Babs playfully pushed her to the side.
"Well I was dating. The guy ran off to some other mare." She sighed. "But I met a nice stallion back in Manehattan, he recognized me so we talked, and I gave him my number. I think I saw him here at your party Sweetie Belle."
"Wait was his name Snips?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Yeah, why?"
"Oh t's nothing, just a hunch." Sweetie Belle giggled.
"Wait Snips was at the party?" Apple Bloom asked.
"With Snails and Twist, who married each other by the way."
"Ah' know that, we may not be in as much contact as before she moved a little while back, but remember how a few months ago Ah' had ta go to Manehattan for an important client?"
"Yeah" Sweetie and Scootaloo said.
"I was invited to her private wedding, it was a big secret, Ah had ta bring the dress I designed. And was her best mare."
"I can't believe you never told us this." Scootaloo said.
"Did ya catch the 'private' part? I'm not even supposed to mention it, but now that ya know, I guess it's ok ta talk about it now." Apple Bloom shrugged.
"And how's the new house? I heard ya moved into it a couple o' months ago." Babs said, desperately changing the subject off of romance.
"It's great." Scootaloo answered. "The clouds are weather resistant, they're soft, and can get you stuck inside of the walls. And you can't deny the view of the town." Scootaloo said.
"Why did you decide to move closer to the ground?" Imp signed.
"Well, It was for me. I have to see you guys, my other friends up there are cool and all, but I miss the ground, I have been on it for a long time, plus, there could be a chance that my foal will have the same inability to fly as I did. Rumble and I don't mind the extra distance to get to Cloudsdale, even if it means we have to wake up earlier in the morning." Scootaloo explained.
"Well I'm glad that we can see ya more often Scoot, wouldn't ya agree Sweet-" Apple Bloom looked over to her sleeping friend, who had dozed off in the middle of the conversation.
"Guess she's tired from having to catch this train so early." Apple Bloom said. As they all continued talking, they; (they meaning Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle) couldn't help but think, our dream in Sweetie case about their husbands at home.
****************************
Button sat at home, his forelegs folded across his chest as he sat down in his gaming chair, not sure about what to do. Unnoticeably, he started tapping his back leg on the seat as though he was waiting for Sweetie Belle to come home. He eventually sighed and turned on the game he was playing.
As he continued to play Bioshock, he grew hesitant when Atlas started mentioning going to Neptune to find his wife and child. At this, Button stopped. He played the game before, but he always had Sweetie Belle there with him. He felt lonely and noticed how much bigger there house was without a certain unicorn sharing the living space with him. He felt alone. His thoughts drifted to other topics.
'I still can't believe I'm going to be a dad. Wow that sounds weird to call myself that. I wonder what our foal would look like, I should probably go shopping with Sweetie Belle again.' He then stopped and tried thinking about something else.
'I wonder about how Ruby and Tulip are, it's been a while since I last saw them. I bet that Sweetie Belle's-' He then groaned in frustration.
"Is everything I do centered around Sweetie Belle now?" He said out loud. When he heard no answer, he sighed again and turned off the screen. He was about to try to go back to bed when he heard a knock on the door. He stood up and walked to it. "I'm coming, hold on." He said once he heard another knock.
He opened the door to find Rumble with Pipsqueak.
"Hey Button, it's been a while since we hung out together huh?" Rumble said, scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah it has." Button replied. He stepped to the side to let his friends in, and closed the door behind them.
"So why did you guys come over today?" Button asked.
"Truth be told," Pip answered. "we don't have anything to do." Button sat next to them,
"Yeah," Rumble added, "I can't think of the last time I did something for myself. I enjoy being with Scoots and all, but lately, it seems like I can't do anything without her."
"I know exactly how you feel." Button said.
"So the girls all went to Manehattan huh?" Pipsqueak said.
"Yeah, they're meeting up with the Manehattan branch of the former crusaders for a reunion or something like that."
"So what do we do?" Rumble said.
"Maybe we should talk about how we feel now that we're going to be dads." Button suggested. Rumble snorted.
"You want to talk about our feelings?" He said, putting his hooves together and batting his eyelashes at the words he emphasized.
"More like a stallion to stallion talk. We're all going to have foals soon, and I still can't believe it. Talking with each other might help." Button shot back.
"Fine, fine, do have any snacks?" Rumble said.
"They're all for Sweetie Belle. So no."
"Really? When was the last time you had something for yourself?" Pipsqueak asked. Button thought about it, and he couldn't remember. He shrugged the question off like it was no big deal.
"Ever since she went into her second trimester, I had to worry about her since her legs, back and hooves were aching all of the time. So I have to buy comfort food and rub her back sometimes." Button ranted.
"Whoa, hold it." Rumble said before he could go on. "We're talking about you, not Sweetie Belle." Button nodded.
"So I can't think of the last time my mind wasn't on Sweetie Belle, or our foal." Button said honestly.
"I know how you feel, I've been trying to do a lot of things for AB, but I always mess it up. When she's sewing, I'm as much help to her as a clock." He sighed. "I don't ever think of myself, I always have to calm her down when she's angry or upset, or do a lot of things for her. I don't ever get free time unless she's away. And usually, I just pace around in our house until she gets back to notice the dents in the floor."
"Wow." Rumble said. "Everything I do is for Scootaloo now, Spitfire's letting me train really early in the morning and pretty hard so that I can be with her in the afternoon. She doesn't like it, but I offered to stop doing shows or a while until our foal comes."
"How did the Wonderbolts react when they heard the good news?"
"They sent Scootaloo off on her last day with a small private show. It made her cry tears of joy. She had never cried n front of them before, so it was a pretty awkward moment for them. The day we told them, they all congratulated us by giving us a round of stomping in the stands, Spitfire told Scoots that she could stop flying around and that we could take three years off. The other Wonderbolts gave me pats on the back and congratulated me on being a father."
"Man you should've seen how my brother was when I told him he's going to be an uncle. He was so happy for us and ruffled our hair, putting me in a playful headlock. He even made an amorous joke that made both of us blush red. Which only made him laugh even more." Button said, smiling at the memory.
"My brother was so excited that he would be an uncle that he spat out the soda he was drinking and told Scootaloo not to stand. It was pretty awkward about how much more gentle around her, especially since he was always rough around her. But he's always like that around pregnant mares, awkward."
"Did you guys see Snips and Snails the other day?" Button asked.
"Dude, you were like the last pony to notice." Rumble said.
"You know Snails married Twist right?"
"I didn't even know she was back in town." Button said.
"You should've seen the look on Twist's face when she saw AB, when she first came in, I greeted her and welcomed her in, then I called for Apple Bloom, who was in the back room finishing up on something. She stuck her body out in the hallway just enough to see her neck and called and assured her she'd be another minute. Twist started talking with me, and asked how things were in Ponyville, then Apple Bloom came out. Twist rushed up to her and gave her a hug. She then noticed the large bump on her stomach and looked back at Apple Bloom in shock. 'Hey Twist, long time no see huh?'." Pip laughed at the memory, thinking about the face Twist made.
"Her eye were as big as saucers, and her jaw dropped so low, I had to pick it up for her." She then excitedly hopped around on all fours and congratulated her long time friend."
"I know how that is." Button agreed. "But sometimes I don't always take too kindly to unexpected news, but usually I understand and accept it eventually."
"When was the last time you played your videogames?" Rumble asked.
"I play them all the time actually, I was playing Bioshock again before you guys came in." Button explained.
"Well right now our lives have been stressful and cluttered," Pip said, " I think it's time we take off some of the tension with Journey?" The other two grinned as they took a turn for the big screen.
Sweetie Belle stepped off of the train, and found two arms wrapping around her body. She looked up to who she knew was Button Mash and instead found a pair of lips meet her own, causing her to blush in the middle of the platform. Once they broke away Button stared into her green eyes.
"How was it?"
Sweetie Belle smiled. "It was great." She said. She went on to talk about how they went shopping, and went to plays and musicals in the theatres, and saw a bunch of movies, went on tours together, and how they mostly talked.
"That sounds pretty fun." Button said, causing her to smile. They reached the house and went inside, Button explaining what he did for the past three days.
"I played games with the guys, and did a lot of cool stuff like get a cloud walking spell so that I could see Rumble's house."
"What's it like to be on a cloud?"
"It's really soft, and comfortable, but I accidently stepped on a gray one." He blushed a the memory. Sweetie giggled at the thought. "I'm never going to live that down." Button said as he let his head fall on the coffee table. Sweetie Belle walked up to him and put a comforting hoof on him.
"I don't know what to say, I guess that it's your own fault." Sweetie Belle said.
"It is, I just wish they'd stop laughing at me about it." He positioned his head to be held up with a hoof as he milked it about and pouted.
"You'll live." Sweetie Belle said, seeing the look and going into the kitchen. She picked up the camera that fell out of her bag along with the pictures she took while in Manehattan. She smiled at them and put them to the side, and then turned for the scrap books. She picked the one titled friends on it and got out he supplies to decorate the pages, sliding next to Button, she showed them the pictures as she glued them in the scrap book, taking extra care of her favorite, It had the seven of them on a tour boat, a few with sunglasses on while Sweetie Belle held out the camera, she had gotten all of her friends in the shot, who all smiled as they stared out over the boat. Smiling a smaller smile, she glued it down in a page of the scrap book and decorated the sheet full of photos. Button helped, adding the few pictures he took of him in the cloud home and zip lining and several other activities. They continued into the late night, laughing and sharing memories with each other, it was a vacation they both needed.
************************************************
Button Mash raked the come through his hair full of knots and winced as he pulled at it. Sweetie Belle came out of the Bathroom prepared and rolled her eyes at Button.
"How many times do I have to tell you to start with the tip first?" She said as Button gave in and gave her the comb, resulting in a lot less painful experience.
"I don't understand how you put up with this every day." Button said.
"Years and years of hygiene with Rarity and practice." She replied as she quickly finished.
"Thanks, now are you ready?"
"Hold on," Sweetie Belle went back into the bedroom with her hair in a ponytail and a small pink with purple tendril covering up her eye, she had a small purse to match her very light eye shadow.
"Don't you think that's a bit much for dinner with my brother's family?" Sweetie Belle giggled.
Imitating a line in her Rarity impression, she replied. "*Gasp* You can never have to much make-up." The two laughed as they left the room.
******************
"Glad you could make it lil' bro." Button's brother said as he patted his brother on the back, not wanting to make Sweetie Belle mad since he knew she did his hair, after all, he was the pony that couldn't move for a month.
"How's it going little sis?" He asked, noticing the fancy hairstyle.
"Pretty good. You?"
"Same, and, how's my niece and or nephew making ya feel?"
Sweetie Belle made a simple reply. "Huge." She answered. He laughed at her response and welcomed her in. The couple was greeted by his wife who welcomed the two warmly. Inside, instead of two colts running around everywhere, they found silence.
"I put the kids to bed, we really wanted to talk with you." Melody, the mellow purple pegasus said.
"What'd you want to talk about?" Button said, pulling the chair out for Sweetie Belle before sitting in his own.
Button's Brother sat down as Melody set the plates on the table. "So how's everything going on at home?" He asked.
"Everything's just fine, just a few days ago I went on a trip with my friends." Sweetie Belle said.
"Did Button come?" Melody asked, sitting in the chair her husband pulled out.
"No, I guess you could say we needed to be away from each other a bit," Button answered.
"Good, that's what happens in a normal relationship." Melody said as she started eating the dinner.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking up at the older mare.
"Well you two get along so well together, as far as I know, you've never had a single disagreement, and work together nearly perfectly. I was starting to think you didn't have flaws. It's like your the perfect pair/" He husband answered casually.
Unexpectedly, the two laughed, confusing the other pair. "Do we really seem that way to you?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Yeah, I never seen any negative feeling cross your face when you are around him." Melody answered.
"Well we get into fights every now and then," Button admitted. "it's just that we both agreed not to get anyone else involved and to figure out the problem ourselves. We are in no way perfect at all."
"Good to hear, as bad as it sounds, it's healthy for a couple to fight." The older stallion said, slurping the spaghetti into his mouth.
"Helps you to grow with your relationship."
"Exactly who does the cooking in your house?" Melody asked. She smiled at the blush on Sweetie Belle's face.
"I do." Button answered. His brother started laughing until he saw the scowl on Sweetie Belle's face, and went to around of fake coughing.
"Sorry," he said. "I thought that you did the cooking Sweetie Belle."
"I never told you I'm a disastrous cook?" She asked, looking up from her plate again and to the stallion.
"Nope. It can't be that bad."
"Ever tried eating liquid toast?" She asked.
"No." He answered.
"Good, because it's burnt to a liquid state. That's how bad I am."
"How did you liquefy burnt toast?" Melody asked.
"I tried pouring water on it and it dissolved into hot ashes, which made bubbles come out of it."
"Wow you are bad." He said.
"Gee, thanks." The mare said sarcastically.
"Sorry, that was rude."
"But your right, that's why I either get food from my friends, eat cereal and snacks, a lot of fresh food, and have Button cook the rest, even though it can sometimes be a little overcooked."
"Coming from the mare who can liquefy burnt toast." He said.
"Who's hayburgers do you think I've been living on at my parents house at home? I don't exactly get my cooking skills from my mom you know." She giggled.
"Good point."
"So," Melody said, trying to change the subject. "How are you guys preparing to become parents?"
"Well we got a lot of supplies shipped to us from out of town, and it took forever to assemble the crib." Button answered.
"Yeah, we still need to paint the room and get curtains to match the theme, we went with light green, so we got several things, a changing table, a carriage, diaper bags, etc." She answered.
"And how are you two preparing yourselves?" Button's brother asked.
"We ask for a lot of help from our friends." The two answered.
"I've had experience before, I remember watching my sister's kids when they were only a few months old, so I know how to hold a foal and watch it."
"Yeah, and there's no way I can forget watching your kids on my own." Button said before shuddering. His brother covered his huge grin on his face with his hoof and choked back a laugh.
"My kids aren't easy to please." He agreed.
"Like father like sons." Melody mumbled loud enough for only Sweetie Belle and Button to chuckle at.
"So your birthday's coming up again in a few months," The older stallion said before wiping what little spaghetti sauce he had on his face with a napkin.
"In a month and a half yeah, I'm surprised you even remembered." Button said.
"What are you two doing to celebrate?" Melody asked.
"I'm keeping that a secret. Button's done so much for me in the pass year, now that we're only a few months from parenthood, I owe a lot to him." Sweetie Belle said.
"You don't need to do something grand or over the top you know." He said to her.
"Don't worry, I won't."
"How long will you be off of work?" Melody asked the two.
"Since I work at home, Sweetie Belle will only be off for two and a half years before going on tours again."
"But I've already released an album last year, I go to record my songs all the time, and my fans love it. I'm so lucky to have understanding fans, I'm already working on another song with Octavia." Sweetie Belle ranted.
"That's good to hear, maybe I can join you sometime?" Melody added.
"Sure, though I should finish the one we're working on first."
"Good to here." Melody stood up and picked up the empty plates, as the other three continued to talk.
"So how's your foal treating you lil' sis?" Sweetie rubbed her stomach.
"They're moving around so much, just this morning my foal was kicking me in the ribs." She said. "I took notice of what time they're active, and what to do to calm them or wait until they tire themselves out. They're getting heavier by the day and my hooves are hurting like crazy.
Melody laughed as she set the dishes in the sink. "I know how that feels,"
"Did you have really bad nosebleeds in the second trimester?"
"Oh yeah, you should've seen the scene, I was so embarrassed." The mare laughed.
"When I first got them a few months ago, it stained the bed, it scared Button so bad." Sweetie Belle tried to suppress a laugh at the memory, laughing even louder when she saw the blush on his face.
"It did the same with my husband, he thought I was in an early labor or something." She laughed.
"Can we help it if we're fearful for our foals and wives?" He replied swiftly.
"You have a point there." Sweetie yawned and Button stood up.
"You're leaving so soon?"
"Yeah once I start yawning, I need to get home before Button has to carry me."
"We understand, have a nice night." Melody said as she finished up and walked to the two.
"You too, thanks for dinner." Button said.
"Maybe we can do it again sometime." Sweetie Belle implied.
"That'd be great. Have a nice night you two crazy love birds." Button's brother said as they walked out the door. Despite how early they left, Button ended up carrying Sweetie Belle halfway home. But he didn't complain, it was a great night.
"Sleep well Sweetie Belle." He said to the mare perched on his back.
I awoke to find Sweetie Belle gone, the sheets indicating she got out of bed. I stepped out and went to the room for our foal, and found her perched on the window sill, staring out at the clouds. I knew she was grieving so I turned around. he then spoke out of nowhere.
"It was today." At first I didn't quite know what she was talking about, until I saw the calendar on the wall. There was red permanent marker from when she marked it, and I immediately realized she was talking about the last foal.
"The doctor said I could've had them one-two, weeks ago." I saw her tears stain her fur as they trailed down her face. "We could've had a little foal Button, and I messed up that chance."
"It wasn't anything that could be helped Sweetie Belle." I remind her. I had no idea she blamed herself. She never showed or said she did.
"If I had just been doing, I could've had a little foal of my own."
"There's nothing that can be done Sweetie Belle, all we can do now is grieve. Think of the bright side-"
"There is no bright side Button!!" She snaps. "We lost our foal, and you think there's a bright side?! Don't you go through grief and hours of pain like I did!! I failed Button!! It's all my fault!!" She screamed as she stomped over to me, hot angry tears falling from her face in all directions.
"It's all, my fault...." She said in a calmer tone, her anger subsiding. "It's all my fault." She choked out the last four words. Holding a hoof to her mouth she sobbed as she embraced me. Repeating the same four words over and over again. All I could do was sit there and tell her it wasn't, that it wasn't anyone's fault. All I could do was wrap my arms around her and slide don next to her when her knees buckled underneath her. She sobbed for what seemed like hours, her words changing.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry Button." She said in a small choked voice.
"It's alright Sweetie Belle, this isn't your fault." Those words made her sob more, as though she was trying to believe me but just couldn't forgive herself.
"It's all my fault." She said again. I sat there, looking over her shoulder to the hardly noticeable tears that stained the carpet. I looked at the white walls, completely empty except for the calendar on the wall. I felt a tap against my side from Sweetie Belle's stomach, knowing it was our foal.
"When I said there was a bright side to this," I said taking Sweetie Belle of my shoulders and looking at her red and puffy face, rivers of tears flowing endlessly from her green eyes and dripping to the floor. I looked in her eyes. "I meant that we are still able to have this foal. We need to do whatever it takes to keep that chance, no matter what the cost. I want you to be happy with this foal Sweetie Belle, no matter what the outcome."
She sniffled as tears welled up in her eyes again, wiping them away she looked up with sympathetic eyes. "Ok."
Later that day, we visited the cemetery where we set a grave stone for the foal we lost. I got flowers for Sweetie Belle to set on it. She had been avoiding it for months, not wanting to have to deal with the emotional pain she was feeling now. She went to the ground, laying in front of the tombstone and setting her hoof on it. She started to sob again as the rain clouds from above filled the world with rain, falling onto her tear streaked face and flowing into the ground beneath our hooves. I took out the umbrella I brought and held it over her head, and sat next to her on the slightly damp grass.
"I miss you so much." She told the tombstone. "You're my angel, and I bet you're watching out over me from above in the clouds. She touched the grass.
"You must be so happy up there, flying around like a pegasus, free as a bird, I'm happy for you in a way, glad that you don't need to face the burden of life, to go through sadness and grief as we do down here, your heart will never be broken, but you will never feel the joy of love, or of the happy things in life, and my life will never be filled with the same happiness you have brought in my life, even if it was short lived, I'm glad that I got to have you included in my life." She looked up at the words on the and tears fell again as she read what it said.
"Sweet angel of mine where have you gone?
Why aren't you right here in my arms?
Where are your cool wings and glowing smile?
Where is the child's laugh worth my while?
"I would've been there to banish your fears
I would have been the one to wipe your tears
I would've been there to keep you safe
I would've greeted you when you were awake
I would've told you about happy stories at night
And you could've filled my life with delight
I miss your smile that gave me happiness in my life
I wish that you could be here for me to hold so tight.
I wish that you were here for me to kiss,
That I could fill your life with happiness and bliss.
"Sweet angel of mine where have you gone?
Where is the angel I'm supposed to hold?
Where is the one who would make me smile bright and bold?
Where are the wings so soft to the touch,
Don't you know that I love you so much?
"And though you may be happy way up there,
I truly do wish that you were right here.
That I could have another to see the stars in the sky
That it could've been you dear angel of mine."
Her words came out like silk, words full of the sadness and pain she felt after all this time, I felt my tears fall down my face in a river as hers did, and I made the same position as she did, holding the umbrella above us. I felt a lump form in my throat and my heart grow heavy. The rain pounding above us, as though it was keeping us down under it's heavy falls.
I looked at the glistening tombstone, so big for someone so young my foal. Sweetie Belle says she thought it would've been a filly, that it seemed that that was right. I could never see her smile, or have her call out my name, been with her when she took her first steps, or be the first one her eyes find after she's born. That will never happen.
I'll never know what friends she would've made, or the boys that she would have a crush on or vice versa, never be there on her firs day f school and watch her grow up into an independent mare I know she would've been I would never get to make her laugh, or play with her, hold and hug her so tight and never let go. Like any father does. I suddenly feel the pain Sweetie Belle had felt how could I have not thought of how she felt? How was I not sensitive to the way she felt before? I feel the heavy burden of guilt, sadness, and anger. Angry at myself for not showing any sympathy for my daughter, for Sweetie Belle. My eyes blur until my tears eventually fall over my face, trailing, dripping and falling down like rain. I feel like myself when I was young, not ever wondering of how I treated others.
From my peripheral vision, I see Sweetie Belle look up at me in what I think might be shock. Or maybe she was wondering if it was rain or my own tears falling in the grass. "I'm sorry Sweetie Belle." I choke out. I feel her embrace me her arms wrapping around my neck and taking me by surprise for a second. The umbrella falls over and I sob with her, the rain mixing with our tears, as the loving tombstone read, our sweet angel, our daughter, was gone from our lives.
As we leave I notice the stars coming out, looking over my shoulder, I see what appears to be a little filly with running in the air giggling as her barely translucent wings lift her into the air, and she dissolves to stars, that make the shape of her face for an instant, smiling and giggling and changing their positions before they went back to their regular form. I turn back around, a smile plastered on my face.
I wake up immediately, Sweetie Belle wrapped under the protection of my arm sleeping peacefully in front of me. She wakes up with a small jolt after a minute too. And I start to feel confused. Was it all a dream? Or did it actually happen? I notice the old tear streaks on her face and memories of the previous day at the grave surface. I remember holding Sweetie Belle close and tightly, and I start to feel that the only part of the day was when the filly came into view.
Since neither of us can go back to sleep, I get out of bed and wipe the tears away. Sweetie Belle does the same.
"What do you want to do?" She asked. I don't answer and step out into the hallway, Sweetie Belle keeping up with me easily. We don't say a word as we leave the house, the moon high in the sky, and the stars sprinkled across the dark blue and indigos, and pinks and purples. I walk to the hill Sweetie Belle and I view the stars at night, the same place I proposed.
I lay next to the tree, looking up at the sky above us. The pink slowly turning lighter as we stare at the stars above.
"It's been a while since we've done this huh?" She whispers, silenced by the beauty of all of the colors.
"Yeah, it has." I answer back.
"Looks like the sun is about to rise." She says as the space above gives way to the reds and oranges and different shades of pink appear as the sun begins to show it's rays across the horizon.
"Do you think it was her?" Sweetie Belle asks.
"What do you mean?"
"Maybe she's watching over us. Our guardian angel, making sure we're happy and all." She says.
"Maybe so." I say abruptly. And there we lay, watching the sun bring light to the land.
As the third and final trimester began, Sweetie Belle was definitely excited. From what her doctor said, she was now healthy and definitely experiencing the symptoms. She first realized this when she had Braxton Hicks for the first time.
Sweetie Belle was reading in bed and listening to music when she felt her stomach tighten. Startled she did as her doctor said to make sure they weren't real contractions. Shifting her weight, the pain never intensified like as she said. With a sigh of relief she continued reading and waited for it to pass.
The next day, Button and Pipsqueak painted their foals room with a light green paint. As the scent of paint drifted across the house, it became too strong and Sweetie Belle had to stay out of the house for the smell made her fell sick. It took a long time before Button could convince her to get back into their house
Whenever she was asleep, which was more often than ever, Button would find her in awkward positions in a gigantic clump of pillows on her side. When they were in bed, he would either get hit with Sweetie Belle's hooves, or be kicked rather harshly when ever they were asleep. Not to mention she would sometimes wake up screaming from a terrifying nightmare ever once in a while
When she woke up in the morning, the first thing she'd do after visiting the bathroom several times, Sweetie Belle would take a picture of her stomach, she had dozens of them stored away, and with each one, her stomach would be slightly larger. She had so much that she had to make a separate scrap book just them.
Now she was Rarity's house, offering to watch her niece and nephew. Platinum wouldn't leave her side. She was so excited to cousin. Sweetie Belle was glad to see her niece was as excited as she was. "Do you want to feel the kick?" Sweetie Belle asked. Platinum gasped in excitement and frantically nodded her head. Placing her hooves on the side of the sofa Sweetie Belle was lying on, she put her ear next to her stomach, listening to the fluttering movements of the foal.
"Wow." She whispered. Jasper stood from afar, not bothering to talk with his sister and instead continued with eating he lunch his mother made before she left, having experienced his aunt's cooking before. He shuddered at the memory. His sister was so eager to talk and ask questions about her first cousin, that she rushed through her lunch as primly as she could, getting hiccups as she sped over to their aunt; who was in a deep slumber, quickly.
"When's it due?"
"2 and a half months."
"Do you know if it's a colt or filly?"
"No, we're keeping that a secret."
"How come you sleep a lot?"
"I just get tired like this, kind of like you get tired when you're belly is full." The filly giggled until a question came to mind.
"How'd it get in there? Did you eat it?"
"I like to believe an angel sent my foal to my stomach, where it can grow in peace."
"But how is it a peace if you eat food with your stomach?"
"I guess I'd have to ask it when it comes out." Sweetie Belle said casually, remembering asking the same questions before.
"Do you think Uncle Button Mash will freak out like mommy said daddy did when Jasper came?"
"No, but we're quite stressed from this weeks earlier visit."
"You are?" The filly said in a burst of muffled giggles. "What happened?"
"Get comfortable, it actually happened just a couple of days ago." She tapped the space next to her, and the little filly climbed on next to her, snuggling up to her aunt.
"It was the day your Uncle's brother came for a visit with his sons." She began.
There was a knock on he door. Groaning, Sweetie Belle turned and laid on her back, staring at the ceiling. She tapped the sleeping Button right next to her.
"Button," the stallion didn't budge. Groaning again, Sweetie Belle went down stairs, fixing her ponytail and wiping her eyes as she made her way to the door. Another round of knocks on the door causing her to move slightly faster. A bit of aggravation in her voice, she yelled out. "I'm coming! Hold on." She made it to the door, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She quickly again before opening the door.
"Hey Button- whoa." His brother stood at the door, getting a glimpse at the bed ridden mare.
"Sorry about my appearance," Sweetie Belle said. "I was asleep."
"Couldn't Button had gotten the door?"
"He's exhausted from painting the foal's room yesterday, and convincing me to come back into the house before the smell was gone." She said, this time lazily stroking her hoof through her hair.
"Maybe I should come back later." He said, starting to back away. He was stopped by his older son hitting his foreleg. Sweetie Belle didn't notice them before.
"No way dad, you promised." He said with a small scowl on his face.
"Yeah," the younger one agreed, coping his older sibling, he hit the other leg with a squeakier voice. "you promised we'd get to see aunt Sweetie Belle."
"It's ok." Sweetie Belle said. Yawning and fling at trying to wipe away the noticeable bags on her eyes. She put a brighter tone in her hoarse voice. "Come in. I'm just going to go wake Button up." Yawning again, the foals ran inside, their father following them to make sure they didn't break anything. Sweetie Belle went into the room and found Button in a different position than before, snoring a bit. She stood right next to him. She tried shaking him awake, but instead he turned to his side. Sweetie Belle called his name several times, with no results. She shook him roughly and did the same, but the stallion was still snoozing away. She then grinned as an idea came to her head.
Putting her muzzle next to his ear, she whispered. "Button, the foal's coming." Instantly Button woke up in a frenzy, jumping nearly three feet in the air before shouting out.
"What?!" He asked. When he saw Sweetie Belle was out of bed, he quickly turned his head until his eyes met a pair of green ones, his nose touching Sweetie Belle's.
"Gah!!" He said, jumping back in surprise. It took him a second to realize what had happened, especially after seeing the giggle mare trying to stifle a laugh with her hoof. Blushing, he shouted back. "That wasn't funny!" He said, his whole face and the tips of his ears turning a light red. Causing the mare to giggle while apologizing.
"I'm sorry, but you wouldn't wake up." She said in between a clump of laughter. Button's blush faded.
"I'm sorry. Why did you want to wake me up anyway?"
"Your nephews are here." Sweetie Belle said. Followed by a shatter from downstairs, followed by some shouting. The two rushed down to see what had happened, before seeing a broken flower vase on the floor. The younger colt was pointing at his brother, insisting that he had pushed him into the table it was on. Sweetie Belle saw a cuts on his forehead and rushed over, taking notice at how a part of his fur was damp from the vase water.
"You boys shouldn't have bee running around in the first place." Their father scolded.
"We were only playing tag, I tried being very careful until he stopped and I bumped into him. The older sibling implied.
"It doesn't matter who did it." Sweetie Belle said, holding her breath at the sight of blood on her nephews hoof. She took a deep breath before answering again. "Just please don't do it again." Button was silent as he looked down at the two boys, running around in a completely non safe environment for colts of their age. As the other two adults talked with the colts, his thoughts drifted what it would be like for a one month foal running around like they were. He looked at Sweetie Belle, who wore the same face he did.
"We're sorry about this." Button's brother said. "I never meant for this to happen."
"Actually," Sweetie Belle began, unable to finish, she was mesmerized as the colt took no notice of the dripping blood. She held her breath while Button continued.
"We're sorry about this. We didn't think to foal proof the house a few months ago, we're sorry about this." Before the other stallion could answer, his sons took the rest of the conversation.
"It's ok, it doesn't even hurt that much anyway." The young colt said in a bragging tone. His dad playfully grabbed him and ruffed his mane.
"You little rascal." He said. Eventually the young colt ended up with a bandage on his cuts after complaining about how much it hurt to clean them. The two brothers talked with each other while the colts sat on the ground next to their aunt, who was sprawled across the couch by herself.
"What will it look like?"
"It's a colt right?"
"Can we feel it kick?"
"How much longer until we can play with him?"
"Will we have to look after him?"
"Will he be stuck in your stomach forever?"
"Will he be in that club you were talking about?"
"Can we play tag with it once it can walk?"
More and more questions came her way unable to answer them, Sweetie Belle stuck her hooves in their mouths as they spoke at the same time.
"One at a time. Now who's first?"
"What will he look like?" The younger one asked.
"We won't know whether or not it's a filly or colt until it's born let alone what it will look like."
"How long will it take before we can play with hi- I mean it." The older one asked.
"Honestly, I'm not sure, it may be a while."
"Do we have to look after him? We can play tag and hide and seek and other stuff." The younger colt offered.
"Maybe when they're older."
"Why does it have to be in your stomach for so long?"
"They'll com out when they are ready. That may be in a few months or so."
"Can we play tag with it once it's old enough?"
"Depends on how roughly you two play, you'll have to be vey gentle with them. If you two are good enough, I'll let you hold them."
"Can we touch it?" The younger one asked. Sweetie Belle nodded. The two colts grinned as they set their hooves on her stomach. She grew worried when she saw the scared look on their faces.
"What's wrong boys?"
"Your stomach is moving. *gasp* did you eat an alien?"
Sweetie Belle giggled as the foal tickled her inside, seeming to do flips and summer saults.
"No, my doctor said that's a normal thing. It's just playing."
"Oh." The two said in unison. They watched for a while before they got bored and started playing again.
"Really? It did that?"
"Yes really." Sweetie Belle said with a laugh in her voice, smiling at how her niece's eyes brightened up. Carefully touching her aunts stomach, she pulled it off after feeling some kicks.
"Wow." She whispered.
"Can it do it again?"
"I don't know." Sweetie Belle shrugged. "Maybe."
"So you were worried because one of Uncle Button's nephews got hurt?"
"Yeah but there's a bit more to it." She noticed how Jasper was sitting alone at the table seeming to do nothing, "You can come over here if you'd like too." She suggested.
The colt's ears perked up. "No thank you." He said.
"But you're not even doing anything Jazzy." Platinum said.
"I thought I asked you not to call me that." The colt said.
"I'll stop for a whole month if you come over here."
The colt thought about leaving his precious moment of peace, but this was a deal he couldn't refuse, ever since Platinum could talk, that would be her nickname for him, and it stuck with her for years.
"Fine." He said before walking primly next to them and sitting down on the chair next to the sofa.
"Yay!" The filly cheered. She then remembered how the foal didn't like too much noise. "I mean, yay." She whispered. Sweetie Belle giggled before going on.
"Where was I, oh yes..."
As they colts continued playing their little games Sweetie Belle nodded off until she was awakened by another round of kicks. She sighed as she waited for them to stop but they continued as the house grew louder from the two stallions talking and the colts making a loud ruckus. Her foal stirred from the noise. And it made her feel uncomfortable.
Button looked over and saw how Sweetie Belle was agitated with the noise they were making. Especially with the pillow over her head.
"Maybe we should take this outside." Button suggested.
"K' then, c'mon kids." The colts galloped behind their father to the back yard outside while Button went to Sweetie Belle.
"When they broke that vase earlier, where you thinking..."
"How our foal could hurt themselves when they're a month old?" She said, lifting her head from the sofa.
"Yeah. We should really fix the house soon." Button said.
"Yeah, but for now, I'm eating breakfast." Sweetie Belle said. Button had forgotten that she hadn't eaten anything all morning, and offered to make her something.
"It's fine," She said to his surprise. "I'm only eating this." She held up a box of cereal and a container of strawberries from the refrigerator.
"Maybe we can talk about it now-." Button suggested.
"Later." Sweetie Belle assured before stuffing her mouth with a spoonful of strawberries. She giggled as Button left the room to tend to their guests.
Later that day, Sweetie Belle and Button Mash shut the door after their guests. Button turned to Sweetie Belle with a worried expression on his face. He sat next to Sweetie Belle at the dinning table.
"So about what happened earlier," Button began.
"Yeah. We need to redecorate a bit. Besides, we've had the same theme ever since we got married." Sweetie Belle said.
"Maybe we should move the vases to higher shelves." Button said.
"And get more carpet." Sweetie Belle agreed.
"And maybe rearrange the furniture a bit?" Button said.
"We could do that one tomorrow. Our chairs have been to close together for foals to run and play through anyway." Sweetie Belle said.
"But it's only seven, and it's still daylight." Button said.
"I'd help, but there's a hot bath calling my name, and I'm really tired." Sweetie Belle yawned. Button sighed as she headed for the upstairs bathroom.
"Then we rearranged the furniture the next day. A right now Button's with Apple Bloom and Pipsqueak adding shelves to the walls and carpet to the floors."
"Is that why you came here?"
"Partially, they insisted that I get out the house for a while. Then I heard that your mother needed someone to watch you two."
"I think that it's great aunt Sweetie Belle came." Platinum said.
"You think everything's great." Jasper huffed.
"Do you feel like your being babied Jasper?" Sweetie Belle asked. Jasper looked at his seemingly perfect aunt in shock.
"How do you know?"
"Ever since I figured out I was having my foal, my husband's been extra careful around me. Whenever we discuss something, he always agrees with everything I say."
"But isn't that a good thing?" Jasper and Platinum Jewel asked in unison.
"No, it's not. You see, you're to young to be in a relationship, but it actually helps a couple by discussing things."
"It does?" Jasper asked, more interested.
" Yeah, with every fight anypony has with anypony, two friends, brothers and sisters, or a couple in my case, talking about something together helps them to grow and make an agreement on something."
"I thought that it was better not to fight all of the time." Platinum said.
"Pay close attention," Sweetie Belle said. "Here's a secret that goes for any relationship, the ones without fights or disagreements are usually the ones that are destroyed?"
"Really?" The two asked. Jasper came closer and sat on the floor.
"Sure. We all have our differences, if we didn't, we'd all be the same pony. Although you should always try to find a solution to a problem before arguing about it, like say the last cookie in the cookie jar, or another situation."
"How come you never told Uncle Button Mash this?" Jewel said. Sweetie Belle wasn't sure how to answer.
"He always thinks it's better to agree with me than make me angry. I usually wouldn't be, but if it's something important, he knows it's better not to make me mad because of my emotions."
"I still think you should tell him." Jewel said.
"I guess you're right. Look at me, dumping my love life on foals." She playfully shook her head at herself.
"How come he wouldn't want to get you mad anyway?" Jasper said curiously
"It actually happened before you two were born." Sweetie Belle said.
"What happened?"
Sweetie Belle blushed.
She was at Button's house playing videogames. Button's brother was the only one home next to the two since they weren't old enough to be trusted at home alone.
Button's brother was outside, watching the two play on their laptops in the grass, bored because he had to watch them while his parents were out. He grinned mischievously as an idea came to mind. He was hesitant about it at first, but went with it eventually. He snickered.
"What's so funny" The two asked.
"Oh I was just wondering why you two aren't dating yet." The stallion shrugged.
"What?!" The two said, blush filling their faces and the tips of their ears.
"I mean, you two hang out together all of the time, and you're always talking about the same things over and over again."
"We're just friends." Button assured.
"Then I bet you two have crushes on each other," he said, stifling a laugh as the two blushed harder. "maybe even have dreams of kissing each other one day, or sneaking out." He laughed even harder as the two stared at each other and squirmed. Sweetie Belle started to get angry. She whispered to Button Mash.
"First Diamond Tiara, now your brother. Why can't a girl and a boy be friends with each other without having other ponies think they're in love or something?" Button rolled his eyes and shrugged in agreement. To make matters worse, the pony watching them saw this and teased them again.
"Aw, my little brother is in love, he's even sharing secrets with my future sister-in-law."
"Can you please stop now?" Button asked.
"Why? Would you prefer for me to call her your future wife then?"
"That's enough." Button said with agitation in his voice. Sweetie Belle was looking down, her eyes hidden in the shadows on her face.
"Maybe you'll even have kids of your own one day." The teenager said teasingly.
"We're not in love or dating, we're just friends." Button said with clenched teeth. "All we do is play video games and hang out, nothing more." Button said, his eyes shrinking in anger.
"Ok bro, you win, I'll stop teasing you with your future somepony. I know when to stop." The stallion said with his hooves up defensively. That's when Sweetie Belle looked up, so quickly it made the other colt's blood run cold. Her eyes were colder, in anger, she rushed to him in a blur pinning him down with seemingly impossible strength.
"Apparently you don't." She said with her hoof clenching a hoofful of fur in his shirt. "Now if you let it go, I'll let you go." Button stood off to the side with just as angry eyes and keeping a good distance from Sweetie Belle.
"What's a little filly going to do?" The poor stallion said. Sweetie Belle looked down as Button whistled, backing away and behind the tree. The wind began to blow, making a lot more dramatic effect. To the young stallion's horror, she chuckled.
"Poor choice of words." She looked up with her green eyes shinning brighter than the sun, nearly glowing. Button watched from afar as her horn lit up and had to shut his eyes at the powerful explosion, followed by a scream of terror, which was followed by a series of pleas. He there was light green light spreading everywhere, the next thing he knew, the stallion was hanging in the tree, his eyes shrunken in fear as his body was completely covered in black marks.
Sweetie Belle said nothing as she picked up her laptop. Still angry as her eyes kept her glow. She passed Button without a word until she picked up her laptop and stopped just within hearing distance of her clenched words.
"See you tomorrow Button, thanks for playing with me." She said before trotting away. It wasn't until she was out of sight that Button helped his brother. The poor guy's hooves were still shaking. He then fell down several feet, landing on his back o the ground. He didn't seem to notice.
On her way home, Sweetie Belle was still enraged. When Diamond Tiara came by to start teasing her, Sweetie Belle looked up with a scowl and her eyes were in anger and cold aggravation.
"Maybe tomorrow." The filly said. She, at least, knew when to stop in this case.
"Ever since then, both ponies were more cautious around Sweetie Belle. Especially Button's older brother. In fact, he still doesn't feel comfortable in the same room alone with me."
"Did you ever apologize?" Platinum said.
"Of course, the next day I tried to, but he screamed and tried to move away from me, eventually Button's mother said I had to leave until he was better."
"I guess he forgave you eventually."
"Yeah, even he agreed he went a bit too far." Sweetie Belle said. There was a convenient knock on the door as Rarity and Fancy ants entered.
"So sorry we're late Sweetie Belle, I hope that they weren't too much trouble."
"Oh not at all, in fact, I can tell they'd do just as fine without me." Sweetie Belle said.
"Thank you Sweetie Belle, and I guess that you're right, maybe Jasper is old enough to take charge on his own." Jasper gasped in excitement.
"Really?" He said before catching himself. "Oh, um, yes, thank you mother." He turned to his aunt. "Thank you for watching us." He said. Platinum did the same.
"It was no trouble, I should be heading home anyway." She left the room and headed out the door, turning her head to wink at Jasper just before the door closed.
Sweetie Belle opened the door to her house and found that it looked very different. "Wow." She said. There were new dark brown shelves that were nailed into the wall. Photo frames and scrapbooks stood on them, along with the seashell from her honeymoon, and vases. There was a sand white carpet over the floor, soft to the touch. The couch and sofa were in the exact place they were after they moved their furniture around, the sofa and couch moved farther away from each other to make more room, making the living room seem bigger than you'd think. The bedroom and bathrooms had little changes, but had more shelves and the decorations the couple bought online.
Button came from upstairs. "You like it?" He said when he saw the mare at the bottom of the stairs.
"This is perfect." She said.
"The foal things are supposed to come in tomorrow." He said.
"Ok, but did you really did all of this in one afternoon?"
"With our friends' help." He reminded her.
"Thank you Button." She said. She kissed him o the cheek, causing him to gush.
"It was nothing, I'm glad that you like it."
"Do you like it?" She asked.
"Of course, I made sure that it was pretty close to what we discussed."
"What do you mean by 'pretty close'? Sweetie Belle asked with her eyebrow raised and a smile.
"I took the liberty to take my old game systems and put them in here." He pointed to the piece of furniture the television. Inside the newly painted cabinets, were the gaming systems that weren't plugged in to the television, along with two bean bag chairs.
"How'd you get those in there?" Sweetie Belle asked with a smirk.
"Since we can't play from the sofa anymore, I got these out of storage, dusted them off a bit, and since they were a bit flat from being flattened by heavy boxes for the past few years I was able to fit them in here." Sweetie Belle giggled.
"Do you want me to take them out?"
"Nope, I was actually hoping you'd do something like this."
"You were?"
"Yeah, lately you've been agreeing with me on everything, and this was the first time all year that you added your own opinions."
"I'm just trying to be a bit more considerate of your feelings." He said.
"That doesn't mean I want you to agree with me on everything I suggest." She said. " and you've been supportive of me for so long, I think your doing a great job keeping up with your promise." She said before kissing him on the cheek again.
"Why do you feel that way now anyway?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Remember when we were in our cave for Hearts and Hooves day? And we promised each other two things?"
"How could I forget?"
"I felt that what happened on.... when we went to visit the cemetery, that I didn't show any sympathy for how much of a loss losing our foal was to you. I tried to get you to forget about the miscarriage, but when you sang your song, I realized that we can't and will never forget. I was being inconsiderate and I didn't live up to my promise. That's why I apologized. I tried making it up to you by doing everything you wanted."
"I appreciate the effort Button, but next time don't let it go too far." She said. "I'm just glad that we're one step further to being ready with our foal now." She said. They sat on the couch, taking a few scrapbooks from the shelves and looking through them. They continued late into the night, flipping through the pages and laughing at the memories. After going through them, they took the camera and took pictures of the new look and added them to the scrap books.
Sweetie Belle stared at the ceiling above her, wondering about the future ahead of her. She thought about how different her life would be with a foal, and how much it had already changed. She continued to stare as the sunlight from the rising sun flooded the room.
'I wonder what my foal will look like.' Sweetie Belle thought. She didn't care what the gender would be, or what it would look like, it didn't mean she didn't wonder about it. She patted her stomach, still not too used to it being so big. The skin stretched as her foal; now clearly visible, grew each day. Her thoughts drifted to how close the deadline was, now only about seven weeks away.
'I just can't believe it.' She thought. She hardly left the house anymore, always wanting to lie down or usually found sleeping somewhere. She hardly ate anymore, barely able to fit a cupcake in her stomach anymore.
She patted her stomach, her thoughts went to her trio to Manehattan, how her friends constantly wanted to touch and listen to her belly, always giggling and shrieking in joy whenever they felt a kick. Sweetie Belle didn't mind when her friends or family did it, they did it all the time actually, Sweetie Belle's dad especially.
"I can't believe my little Sugar Belle's all grown up." He had said once he saw her the day before. Wiping a tear away from his eyes as the others flowed to his gray streaked mustache.
"Oh Dad." Sweetie Belle replied, having to comfort him and hug him to stop him from balling his eyes out.
Sweetie Belle felt differently towards other ponies, whenever strangers came up to her, or fans, she always felt awkward whenever they did, ignoring their gossip with their nearby friends, or having to say no at times when she was in a hurry. She giggled an event that occurred in Manehattan, when a group of friends came over to them while they were walking freely, wanting autographs and to take pictures with the trio. It took a lot of effort for Scootaloo not to snap at them, but it was completely obvious to the group, with her big cheesy grin and all.
'Just wait until my foal's born.' She thought. At this, she froze. 'When it's born. I haven't come up with any birth plan! I can give birth at any moment-I' She rushed out of bed as fast as she could, nearly sprinting down the stairs as she passed Button, who was working away at character designs.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, and realized that we haven't come up with a birth plan. I can give birth at any time between now and the deadline, and we won't be even a little prepared for when it happens. I'm going to ask Rarity for help, since according to Twilight, handled the labor the best next to Fluttershy and herself." She spat out, in a rush as she pace in place.
"You have a good point." Button agreed. "You want me to come?"
"No, you can stay, I'll write notes." She said, summoning a notebook and pencil jokingly.
"You want to eat anything then?" He asked.
"No, I'll eat when I come back, I won't be gone for long." Sweetie Belle said before parading at a much slower pace than her burst of energy before. She trotted through the late summer morning, seeing a light yellow leaf on the path every once in a while as she slowed down from her speeding trot to a slow walk.
'Maybe I'm overthinking this, how can anyone be prepared for a labor if it can happen at any time? Maybe I should go back home, Button looked rather worried back there. But I've come too far, and I want to make sure I don't mess anything up with this, I don't want to freak out when my water breaks. But maybe I should-'
She tilted her head upwards, where her furrowed brow unfolded and she found herself in Rarity's house, turning around to see Fancy Pants by the door with a knowing look on his face.
"I'm assuming you're here to see your sister?" He asked. Sweetie Belle stood taller and blushed, nodding her head.
"I'll go get her dearie." The stallion said before disappearing behind the door to a room, where a lot of noise Sweetie Belle hadn't noticed before came from. There was a brief silence before Rarity came out, her smile shining as bright as the sweat on her brow, her red glasses perched on the bridge of her nose as she trotted out of them, her mane not as well kept as it had been a few days before.
"Am I interrupting something?" Sweetie Belle said aloud, backing away a bit towards the closed door she entered.
"Not all, come, come, I'll make us some tea!" She said pushing her sister into the other room, not before closing the door to the room where a bunch unfinished attire sat.
"So what's bothering you Sweetie Belle?" Rarity asked, pouring hot water into a tea cup and adding honey to her sisters. Sweetie Belle smiled at the kind gesture, remembering the days they would spend together when they were younger. Blowing on it, Rarity gave the cup to her sister, waiting patiently for her to start.
"Well, I've been thinking about my last miscarriage," Rarity froze, seeing it was a lot more serious than she thought. She turned her head and closed the door with her magic.
"Go on dear." She said.
"Well, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, and I know that my foal can come at any time, it's happened before, it' just, I want to be as prepared as possible so that nothing will go wrong." Sweetie Belle said, her tea quietly awaiting for Rarity to say something.
"Well Sweetie Belle, my main suggestion would be for you to try to be as calm as possible once your water breaks, and to stay relaxed until your foal's delivered.Though that's difficult for first time moms. Not to mention that could take sometime between twenty minutes to days." Sweetie Belle swallowed a lump forming in her throat.
"Though, I should tell you that early births is a common thing in the family." Rarity said.
"They are?"
"Yes, in fact, mother delivered both of us at most three weeks before the due date, and I delivered both of my children two weeks before the due date. And when you were in the hospital for..." Rarity cleared her throat "Mother pulled me to the side to say that it is known for a miscarriage to happen in the family on her side every generation or so. She decided it was best that you weren't told yet until you ever asked about it. But since she and father are visiting grandmother, well here we are." Rarity said, gesturing to the table in the middle.
'This explains so much!' Sweetie Belle thought to herself. 'I'm glad that I came here.'
"Thank you Rarity for letting me know. I still have a few questions though." Sweetie Belle replied.
"And what might those be?" The older equine asked, drinking her tea primly.
"When do you know you're going to go into labor?"
"Honestly, it happened out of nowhere, I was just walking through the house and felt water trickle down my legs, the first time, I was embarrassed about it and cleaned it up, but that's when I felt the contractions, and I knew my water broke then." The mare blushed at her sister, who showed no signs of humor on her face, but instead curiosity.
"Fancy Pants rushed me over to the hospital, and I can't lie Sweetie Belle, it was dreadful." The mare said. Sweetie Belle nodded knowingly.
"I know it will be painful, but do you have any tips so that it can go as smoothly as possible?"
"Well, no matter what, you want to make sure you stay calm. Freaking out will just stress you, and your emotions will only get worse. And we don't want a remake of what happened to my brother-in-law a few years ago to happen to Button." It was Sweetie Belle's turn to blush now, making her sister crack a smile.
"Anything else?" The pink and purple maned equine asked, leaning in a bit too close to Rarity, making her sister worry that she would fall out of the chair.
"Well, for one thing, you should do something calming. Like writing in your song book, or walking around the room whenever you get your contractions." Rarity suggested. "I was, what else, sewing and knitting."
"Oh yeah, you were able to finish that dress you had for the wedding quicker than expected." Sweetie Belle said, Rarity shrugged.
"And baby clothes mind you." The two giggled. It was the first time in months that Sweetie Belle really laughed now that she knew the truth.
"Oh, yes, be sure to sleep whenever you can, and I wouldn't eat anything with ranch unless you're baby ends up overdue."
"How come?"
"Well, mother said that when her mother ate a salad with ranch, her water immediately broke at a restaurant. And she doesn't want us to take any chances."
"How does that work?" Rarity shrugged. again, causing the two to erupt into laughter again.
"But make sure Button's with you the whole time. I was most calm whenever Fancy Pants was with me, and I'm positive that he'll help you." Rarity beamed at her sister, her glasses gleaming in the early morning sunlight that flooded the room.
"How do you know when they're contractions you're feeling?"
"You'll feel a tightening on your stomach and back, and the frequency will only become more rapid as time passes. Not to mention you'll feel pain in your back and legs." Rarity said.
"Ok, thank you Rarity." Sweetie Belle said, standing from the table.
"Oh! Before I forget," Rarity summoned a large box and set it on the table, a blue aura still wrapped around it even when her horn was no longer lit.
"Wha spell are you casting?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"I'm making sure you don't open it on you're way home, this is for you and you're friends. Could you give the right items to them please?"
Sweetie Belle nodded. "Thanks Rarity." She said, lifting the heavy box easily with her magic, leaving the room as her sister followed.
"You're always welcome Sweetie Belle." She said, waving from the front door.
Sweetie Belle smiled at her, heading towards home with the box.
Apple Bloom's ears perked up once she heard a knock at her door. setting down her book, she walked to the door where an anxious Sweetie Belle stood with a box enveloped in blue and green magic.
"Hey Sweetie Belle, what'cha got there?" She asked, pointing a hoof to the box.
"Rarity gave this to me yesterday, I have a feeling it's baby clothes, but she wanted Scootaloo to see it too. I called for her to come over. She's on her way." Apple Bloom moved to the side, allowing Sweetie Belle to set the box down on the dinning table in front of her.
"Where's Pipsqueak?" Sweetie Belle asked curiously.
"Oh, he's off buying me some more art supplies, and baby things." She explained, plopping down in a chair. Sweetie Belle sat next to her, helping herself to an apple from the fruit bowl, enjoying the scent of apple blossoms that wafted through the house. She knew Apple Bloom wouldn't mind what she was eating, after all, whenever she came over to her house, she either let herself in, devoured half of the sweets when she and Scootaloo would visit, or be found asleep on the couch on days she wanted to get off of the farm.
They heard a knock on the door, Sweetie Belle wordlessly opened it with her magic, chewing the apple as Scootaloo stepped in.
"Hey guys, what's the big deal?"
"Rarity sewed us some baby clothes, we wanted to look at them with you." Apple Bloom explained while Sweetie Belle nodded.
"Ok then, let's crack this thing open. She sat with them at the table and the blue aura faded away, making Apple Bloom open the box to reveal an array of clothing with unique designs.
Scootaloo lifted up a pinkish purple garment with lighting light purple lighting bolts on the sides, coming from the holes for the wings. Underneath it was a blue outfit with yellow in the pattern of lighting bolts were sewn together, looking identical to a Wonderbolts costume. Underneath were light orange jumpers along purple baby clothing with dark gray streaks in the middle in a lighting bolt pattern.
Apple Bloom picked up an Autumn orange jumper, and another one had green on it that resembled leaves, she even found a yellow and orange one coved in red spots, and another one light yellow with a pink bow sewn on it. Small apple designs were sewn on in a precise pattern on several.
Sweetie Belle opened her to reveal light pink, purple, light and regular orange, and emerald green ones, four having several notes on them, while the other ones had what looked like pixelated swords and gems on them.
"These, are..." Scootaloo said, letting the clothing speak for itself. They were beautiful, and it didn't take a genius to see how much time and effort went into each article of clothing, especially the ones which ranged from darkest to lightest. Apple Bloom gave a little tug on one of the garments, quickly noticing the stretchable garment. Sweetie Belle looked back into the box, noticing a note at the bottom.
"Dear Sweetie Belle
I hope you like these, they may not be my best, but I spent a lot of time on these to make them as perfect for my sister and her friends. I made them with stretchable material, and made them with a comfortable material so that it will fit your, and your friends foals. I know that you three are worried about them considering what has happened in the past, but I'm sure that once they come, that it'll fit them well, and that they'll be happy with them.
With Love, Your Sister,
-Rarity"
Sweetie Belle smiled warmly at the letter, hugging it closely to her chest. Glad that her sister was confident in her and her friends.
Sweetie Belle awoke to the sound of the telephone, groaning, at whoever was calling her, considering it was 3:30 in the morning. She lazily answered it.
"Hello?" She croaked through her raspy voice.
"Hey Sweetie Belle," A nervous Rumble said from the other end, " is this a bad time?"
"What the hell do you want Rumble?" She asked, impatient and weary.
"Sorry, well... Scootaloo's water broke," Sweetie Belle's eyes flew open. "She hasn't had any contractions for a few hour-" There was a loud crash and then a shatter on the other end, so loud that it sounded like someone was crumpling newspaper through it. Button awoke, groggy and confused as to what was going on.
"I'm on my way." Sweetie Belle said, hanging up before receiving an answer.
"What's going on?" A tired Button Mash yawned as Sweetie Belle flipped the lights on after climbing out of bed.
"Scootaloo's water broke." She answered, grabbing something from a drawer and sticking it in her saddle bag she put on.
"Ok, let's go." Button said without any further questions.
The nurse poked her head inside, looking at Rainbowdash sitting in a chair next to her surrogate sister, Soarin' standing supportively next to Rumble, who was rubbing Scootaloo's back, for she was on her side, clutching a pillow and her eyes brimming with tears. Spitfire looked at the two from the middle of the room, smiling at the four ponies behind the nurse.
"Hey." She said in a quiet happy tone.
Sweetie Belle smiled as the rest looked up, Scootaloo looking up as the tears continued to brim in her eyes, a few spilling over as another wave approached. She moaned and tightened her grip on the pillow.
"Nice to see ya," Rainbowdash said for her. Rumble smiled up at their four friends. "Thanks for coming." He said.
"I'm sorry to say that the earlier group will have to step outside now." The nurse said in her sweet tone.
"Ok. Thanks." Rainbowdash said, looking down at her sister. "I know your pain. But you'll make it, and it will be worth it. Who's the toughest little pony in town?" Scootaloo smiled.
"Got the moves got the mojo," Sweetie Belle said.
"No harder working pony around." Apple Bloom agreed. Scootaloo smiled.
"Thanks everypony, I really appreciate it." She said. Rainbowdash stood up, giving one last smile before turning her head around and leaving the room.
Her friends sat in the chairs adjacent to the bed, giving their friend a lovely smile.
"Thanks for being here girls." She said happily.
"Anytime Scootaloo." Apple Bloom said.
"Um... what's it like?" Sweetie Belle asked out of curiosity.
"I feel like I was hit by a truck." She snapped. Her friends jumped at the sudden raise in her voice, causing her to soften. She sighed. "I'm sorry, its just that it hurts so much. But it'll be worth it though." She chuckled to herself. "Who would've thought?"
Thought what?" The other two asked.
"Feels just like yesterday I was ten, swearing on my life I'd never get married, well, before I met Rumble and went to Princess Cadence's wedding." She laughed, wiping her face as she sat up, turning to the side.
"Yeah, and now look at where we are, never would've thought I'd be here when I was younger." Sweetie Belle said honestly.
"Yep." Apple Bloom agreed.
The three sighed in unison. Scootaloo removed the mess of blankets covering everything but her legs, from her stomach. Standing up to walk around the room.
Rumble stared at her from the distance, stopping the conversation he was in. He sighed sadly.
"Something wrong Rumble?" Pipsqueak asked.
"It's just... I don't like to see her in pain this way. I don't want her to feel this way."
"Why don't you guys get some medicine?"
"She doesn't want it, when the nurse offered before you guys came, she shook her head no. Even in child labor, she's the toughest mare I know."
"Don't worry Rumble." Button said, resting a hoof on his friends head. "She'll be fine."
She paced in a circle around the room as she walked around and around for the next three hours nonstop. Time stretched on and on as she walked around, worrying Rumble when she had to stop due to her contractions, sometimes she'd bend down and crouch in a ball on the floor. The sweat on her forehead continued to come, darkening her hair and making it a tangle mess in it's ponytail. Rumble rushed to her side each time, offering to lead her back to the bed and only getting either a sharp no, or a shake of a head. Sometimes he'd just hear a sound escape through her teeth as she sat on the floor.
It wasn't until she fell forwards, that he grew worried, catching her before she hit the ground. "Ugh." She moaned, looking up at ceiling with cloudy thoughts.
"You want me to get the nurse?" Rumble asked. Scootaloo nodded, being leaded back to the bed and watching as Rumble jabbed the call button. The nurse and doctor rushed in, seeing that Scootaloo was in the middle of a big wave, she let out a yelp and grabbed Rumble's hoof as the doctor looked underneath the sheet.
"It's time," He said. The nurses led the four of the others out, assuring them that it shouldn't take much longer anymore.
"Gaah!!!!" Scootaloo cried out as the doctor set up the equipment, using a contraption to lift the blanket up as the other four were rushed out of the room. They looked at each other worriedly and walked to the waiting room, where other Wonderbolts stood in the room, Scootaloo's dad sat in the chair, tapping his hoof along the arm rest of the chair as Rainbowdash sat next to him, her son asleep on her lap as Soarin' held his daughter in his hooves, stroking through her short mane as she slept away. Scootaloo's cries were much more distant from the hallway, but each one made Sweetie Belle wince as she thought about her labor.
"I wonder how uncle Rumble's holding up." Rumble's nephew asked his father, Thunderlane.
"Probably freaking out." His brother answered.
"Oh and you of course were completely calm when our kids came." Blossom Forth said. Thunderlane blushed.
"Good point." He said.
"How are you feeling Sweetie Belle?" Button asked once he saw her wince after another round of yelps.
"It's fine," She brushed off quickly, "I'm just a bit worried is all." She said, half-lying.
"Ok, if you want to talk about it," He pushed on.
"Don't worry Button, I'd tell you if something were wrong." She looked into the hall where the door to the nursery was, and cradled her stomach worriedly.
The screaming stopped. Everyone's ears perked up at once.
There was a click from down the hall as Rumble, rushed through the hall, a doctor's mask hanging from his muzzle.
"It's a colt!" He said excitedly. Everyone congratulated the stallion, giving him pats on the back, his brother ruffling a hoof through his mane from above. Scootaloo's father unexpectedly hugged him, teary eyed.
"I'm a grandfather." He said joyously.
The younger children were hopping around in circles, chanting that they had another cousin. "Can we see him please?" They begged him, Rumble was hesitant when they gave him puppy dog eyes, ad stuck out their bottom lips.
"Of course you can." He said, ruffling his niece's hair.
A nurse came over, having had heard the commotion. "Right this way." She said, bringing them to the nursery where a few other foals slept. A snowy maned pink unicorn nurse set down a blue bundle into the crib, where Rumble entered the room.
"Meet Thunder Streak." Rumble said, lifting a fold in the blanket to show a small dark orange colt, a tuft of light gray with a streak of purple on his head, he yawned and continued to sleep, a small smile on his face. Everyone awed at the little colt, the younger children now fully awake and climbing on top of each other to see their cousin.
"Congrats." Button said when Rumble stepped out, patting him on the back.
"I can't believe it, I'm a dad." Rumble said in disbelief. He smiled warmly. And looked inside. "And he's my son."
"Happy Birthday to Thunder Streak!" Rainbow's daughter whisper shouted.
'Happy Birthday indeed.' Rumble thought. Smiling at he little colt behind the glass.
Sweetie Belle knocked on the door silently. She was answered with a silent "Come in." From the other side. Creaking the door open, she peeked in to see Scootaloo on the other side. Smiling happily down at the bundle in her arms.
"Isn't he just amazing?" She asked out of nowhere, moving her head down to kiss the sleeping colt on the forehead.
"He's quite the little colt." Sweetie Belle agreed, coming in to sit by her side.
"It's amazing how much everything changed huh? One second, I'm in pure pain, and then..." She looked down at him. "I hear his cry, and it's like something clicked inside of me." She said.
"What's that like?"
"I feel like I'm ready to take care of him. So much has changed now that he's here. I bet he'll be running or flying around the house, getting stuck into every cloud wall. I can feel it."
"How do you feel?"
It took a moment for her to answer. "I feel like..." She pause, trying to describe it. " he's my little miracle. My little Thunder Streak."
"That's a nice name." Sweetie Belle said.
"Thanks, it took forever for us to decide. But it suits him well." She said.
"I wonder what color his eyes will be." Sweetie Belle thought.
"I can't help but wonder either, especially when he gets his cutiemark, or starts flying, who knows, he'll probably be walking on walls soon. I bet he's going to grow up to be the fastest little colt in the sky. My little Wonderbolt." She chuckled when he yawned. "He's so wonderful." She said aloud.
"He truly is." Sweetie Belle thought.
"I bet you'll be gushing all over your foal once it's born." Scootaloo said, looking up from her son.
"I hope so. I can't wait to see them." She said, setting a hoof on her stomach.
"Don't worry." Scootaloo said reassuringly. "You'll be able to."
"I know, I just can't help but worry. I know that I'm better now, but you know how the doctor said that me or my foal have only so much of a chance left."
"I'm sure you'll both make it." Scootaloo said.
"Oh yeah!" Sweetie Belle whispered, taking something she brought. "Rainbow Dash said to give this to her nephew." She said, taking out a stuffed Wonderbolt toy of Scootaloo from the saddle bag she wore.
"Typical Rainbow Dash. Be sure to give her my thanks." Scootaloo replied.
"I will." Sweetie Belle assured.
"You're still feeling nervous about it huh?" Scootaloo said, sending a knowing glare to her friend.
"How'd you know?"
"We've been friends for years Sweetie Belle, I can see through you like glass as much as you can see through me."
"I'm just worried that something will go wrong. What if I mess something up?"
"There's not much to mess up when you're in agonizing pain."
"Even then, I'm worried that I'll be a bad mother."
"That happens with me too, but let's get this straight, we're not going to be the world's best mothers, we're not perfect, and we'll definitely make mistakes. My mother always told me, that to be a parent doesn't mean just watching over a foal, its owning up to the mistakes you make, and being there for your foal or foals, it means loving and watching over them, and preparing them for the world ahead. And that it was her intent to do that with me."
"Why do I feel like your so mature all of a sudden?"
"I don't know, it just clicked. Everyone was right with how this motherly instinct comes completely naturally. Speaking of parents, where's Rumble? I want to talk to him about something." She said.
"I can go get him if you like." Sweetie Belle suggested.
"Nah, don't worry about it, I don't want to interrupt him with what he's doing. Whatever that may be, anyway." She said, looking to the television in front of her, completely oblivious to what was going on. "Hey Sweetie, you want to hold him?" She asked.
"Of course." Scootaloo handed the foal over to her friend, who took him gently.
"If you don't mind, I'm going to sleep for a while, I'm exhausted, and I'm going to need as much sleep as I can get now that this little guy's around." Scootaloo yawned, immediately falling asleep afterwards. Sweetie Belle looked down at the little colt in her arms, smiling down as he opened his mouth to yawn, seeming to have caught his mother's.
'I wonder what type of adventures you and your friends will go on.' She thought, staring down at the colt. She looked up at her friend. Her friends were like family to her. She wouldn't be surprised if this colt considered himself to be her nephew. She wouldn't mind looking after him for a sleepover, or help him with any problems he may have in the future. She began to grow curious as to what Apple Bloom's foal would look like, and if the three of them would be good friends like their mothers are.
Rumble came in through the door and found Sweetie Belle sitting next to a sleeping Scootaloo.
"Hey, thanks for keeping Scoots company while I was gone, I'll take it from here." He said, walking up to her and sweeping the bundle out her arms as gently as he could muster.
He took Sweetie Belle's place in the chair looking over Scootaloo as she slept.
The following two weeks were busy for Scootaloo and Rumble, Sweetie Belle always saw her with Thunder Streak whenever they made a visit to her or Apple Bloom's house, who speaking of, looked to be like she would go into labor any moment. She didn't leave her house at all, especially when the due date was passed paranoid about when her water would break.
"Ugh!" Apple Bloom groaned, setting her head on the table. "It's been three days, Ah'm startin' ta wonder if this kid will ever come out."
"Gee, that's a bit harsh." Scootaloo replied flatly.
"Sorry." Apple Bloom sighed. "It's just that Ah'm gettin' anxious, and I'm gettin' worried. Ah asked Applejack if it happens regularly in our family and she said that it could sometimes take weeks." She sighed and sat her head on the table.
"That does suck." Sweetie Belle said.
"What about you Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo asked, turning to her right."
"I'm feeling pretty neutral really." She answered.
"Ya mean ya ain't worried about..." She trailed off.
"I am, don't get me wrong, but I just feel fine right now."
"You still haven't told Button?" Apple Bloom asked.
"No." She said.
"Ah don't mean to lecture ya, but you about five weeks away from your due date. Ah still think you should say somethin' to him."
"I told him that I'm nervous because of..." She breathed in, tearing up a bit. " my miscarriage" she continued. "that has to count for something." Sweetie Belle said.
"Sorry ta say Sweetie, but it doesn't" Apple Bloom grinned.
"It doesn't?"
"Nope." The two said, popping their lips at the P. There was a cry from the small playpen nearby.
"Hungry again?" Scootaloo asked the crying Thunder Streak. She was answered with a cry. "Sorry guys, do you mind?"
"Go ahead." Apple Bloom said. Scootaloo walked to the next room, laying on the couch as the other two followed behind her.
"You were saying?" Sweetie Belle gestured.
"Sorry, I forgot what we were talking about." Scootaloo said, setting a blanket over her son.
"I could tell you about my new song." Sweetie Belle said.
"Shoot for it." Apple Bloom said.
"So, as you know, I've been working with Octavia, and now Neon Lights, Vinyl Scratch, and Noteworthy, the pianist. I told them about a song that I wrote, and Octavia and Noteworthy are up for it."
"That's great Sweetie Belle." Scootaloo replied.
"What's it about?"
"Well, you know how I was always writing in my journal all of the time after... you know, I was hesitant about it at first, but I decided that I should write a song for it."
"Is it the one you were singing to yourself at the fune-" Scootaloo stopped mid sentence.
"No, it's a different one. I just feel like it's still personal with... yeah."
"Well, I've been thinking about getting a pet." Apple Bloom said. "Preferably a dog." She said.
"You ask Fluttershy?"
"Yeah, but she said that there aren't any at the moment to adopt." She replied. "How's Perplexity treating Thunder Streak?"
"She's really nice to him, and they like to play together whenever Fluttershy comes over for a playdate." Scootaloo said.
"Well that's sweet." Sweetie Belle said.
"Yeah, she's the sweetest little thing." Scootaloo said. She lifted her son up to wipe any trace of milk from his mouth, smiling at him as he grinned back. She set him over her shoulder.
"He should be asleep in no time. Sorry to hold you guys up."
"Take all the time ya need." Apple Bloom assured.
"Thanks guys. So, tell me how Pip's handling this." She said with a devious grin.
"He's always by my side. Hangin' out with you two and Twist is the only way to get away from him, while he and the guys go watch hoofball or somethin'. Speakin' of which, we should invite Twist to hang out with us soon, turns out she's pregnant too."
"Really?" The two asked, baffled.
"Yep, she found out yesterday. Told me to tell ya. Also turns out she was three months-well three and a week, before she found out."
"She doesn't have to be expecting to be with us." Sweetie Belle said.
"Ah' know, but she didn't tell Snails, and is going to tell him at the get-together."
"What party?" The two asked in unison, Thunder looking up to see the commotion from his mother's arms.
"Ah' offered ta help her host a party later, but she's throwing it herself, and is inviting us to her house."
"I'm ashamed to admit I never went there." Scootaloo said.
"Don't worry about it. Twist wanted us to catch up with everyone at once, and is dying to see Mina and Spike again. Ah also invited Imp." Apple Bloom said.
"So you'll be helping her with it?"
"Of course Ah will, it'll be this Saturday, so bring your family and maybe bring something for it." She looked at Sweetie Belle. "You don't have to cook it though."
"Hey! I'm not that bad!" Sweetie Belle blushed.
"Yes, you are." The other two said. Thunder seemed to nod his head with them.
"Oh." Sweetie Belle blushed harder, causing a burst of giggles to erupt.
There I was, sitting in our bedroom when I hear a shriek escape the hallway followed by tumbling.
"Button!" I hear.
I race to her side, a sickening crack loud enough to make me shudder as I race behind her. A half-second later, there's a blood curdling scream. She begins to violently move around, blood escaping from the side of her mouth, only aiding in the growth of the crimson red puddle. I race to the phone, replaying the events of when she had her miscarriage and thinking of the terrible pain. There's a calm voice on the other end.
"Hello?" It was our nurse.
"Yes, it's an emergency, Sweetie Belle fell down the stairs, and she's bleeding-" I was stopped by another scream.
"Ok, check to make sure she's breathing, if she's not, do CPR. Are any bones broken?"
"I haven't checked, but I think one of her back legs may be broken."
"We'll be there as soon as possible. Just keep her breathing, we don't want her to fall into a coma." She says, beginning to bark orders to other doctors and medics. I hang up and rush to Sweetie Belle, turning her to the side. Through a slit in her eyes I see her eyes roll around. I begin to use CPR, noticing a fracture in one of her ribs.
I continue at the steady pace I'm at. I tilt her head to the side once I notice more blood spilling. I can't help but feel a sick feeling in my stomach with her blood on my lips. She begins to breathe heavily, her heart thumping at a quick pace.
"They're on their way Sweetie Belle, don't worry. Just keep your heart beating." I say. I don't know if she can hear me or not, but I say them for me. Saying that she's going to be fine. No matter how much I try, I fail to convince myself she'll be fine.
My eyes begin to blur as I try to help her breathe. Making sure she doesn't choke on the blood pooling in her mouth. The blood of the carpet begins to brown as I continue at the steady pace I'm going, pushing down harder and harder with frustration. There's a hard knock on the door and I rush to it, wasting no time to get the paramedics to the horrific scene. They tie a mask to her face and use a stretcher to lift her into the ambulance, shouting commands at each other as she lays there, unmoving. They insert an iv needle into her arm, take my place with CPR, hook her to a machine to determine her accelerating heart rate, working on a corpse.
"Her spine has cracked, and back legs are broken." I hear one say to me. I stare at her half opened eyes, bloodshot and red. looking in one direction blankly.
I try to hold back my sobs building in my throat. It was painful to see her in this way, pale and bleeding, hooked to several machines as doctors try to revive her, it's worse than every nightmare I could've dreamed of into one.
"Sweetie Belle, just try and keep your heart beating for me. Try to keep your eyes open and I'm sure you'll be fine." I say out loud. The truth is, I'm afraid that is she closes them, they'll never open again.
******************
Finally we make it to the hospital where we're rushed to the emergency room. They lay her on a bed and roll her to a separate room. All I can do is run after them, not caring about who I passed. For those few moments, felt like an eternity, all I could see was the look of pain on her face, hear her shrieks as they raced for emergency surgery.
I follow them into a room where they immediately begin to do surgery. I look away, not wanting to see.
"I'm here." I say.
I bring my hoof down to caress her face. I focus on her face, etching every bit of it into my mind.
"I'm so sorry."
I wrap her hoof around my face, looking down to her. She looked so disfigured and unnatural, her pale face, her sweat matted forehead, but the worse part was how her eyes seemed to be draining of life with each passing second, wet and reflecting the dim lights of the room.
"We're almost done Sweetie Belle, hold tight." I say, looking to the doctor, who was wiping sweat from her face as other doctors tried to stop the continuous bleeding.
"I'm sorry Sweetie Belle. I'm so sorry." I say, choking back the lump in my throat. ''Please stay with me, please."
For a second it looks like her eyes seemed to move a tiny bit, but they seem sad, almost, regretful. I then watch in pure horror as her head slowly and disheartingly falls to the pillow.
"Sweetie Belle?" I ask, hoping she'd open her eyes and answer. Or at the very least say something instead of the cold response I get in turn. I feel the tears flow freely out of my eyes, disbelief still sketched into my face. "Sweetie Belle?!" I ask again.
No response.
My head spins, the memories I had of her resurfacing. From when we first met, to our snowball fights, or playing video games together or with our friends. Celebrating getting our cutiemarks. The elation we shared when we went to the to comic-cons for videogames and our favorite shows and movie series. Our first date and how we waltzed through the night full of stars. The pain we shared from being away from each other. And the reunions we had together and the embraces and hugs of joy from seeing each other again. The anniversaries and birthdays we celebrated together and with friends and family members. They quickly lead to memories of the night of the proposal and the tears she had in her eyes when I showed her the ring. Our wedding brought me to when she was wearing her beautiful dress, seeming to dance down the aisle in the most perfect way. Our fourth anniversary when we made this decision, and the blush on her face from when I lifted her into the night air, her eyes shining bright from the colors of the city. The countless hours she'd spend in that room we prepared, watching the younger foals as the days and nights rolled by. The songs she sang out of happiness for this one chance at being a mother. The tears she cried when we lost our first. The day we went to the grave and cried to our heart's contempt, and my dream leading us to the outside, where the sky imitated a moving and color shifting canvas as the sun rose ad chased away our pain as with the night. All of the laughs and good times the two of us had in those twelve beautiful years.
My thoughts flooded with her beautiful green eyes, her pink curls, and loving smile to the point in which the world spun. The way her curls would bounce when she was happy, or how her sweet laugh would chime, and soft as bells could ring. The way she inspired me with her compassionate ways, and the determination she had. Oh, how she was always looking for a new adventure to go on. And ready to face any challenge the two of us endured together.
But the one thing that came the most was her songs.
I thought of the endless chords and keys she played, how her voice matched perfectly to it all. Her ability to weave stories into her songs and sing in her most glorious voice. Her hypnotizing lyrics that made my heart skip a beat, setting me under the spells she had cast upon me with her addicting music. This one image destroyed this wonderful world, seeming to sift through my memories and causing a painful destruction, replacing all of the wonderful memories I had of Sweetie Belle, by this unmoving look alike, while Sweetie Belle, my one true match, was the opposite, she was full of life.
Time seemed to stop completely when the talking stopped, and the storm of thoughts in my head blew itself out as quickly as it came. My heart thuds in my ears, and I feel as though someone stuck a weight into my head with the pounding of blood rushing through it. I look to our doctor, tears brimming in her eyes as she looked back to me. There's a loud silence. My gaze catches the blood covered foal in her hooves, lifeless and unmoving as her mother.
It's amazing how fast our lives can change in an instant. I was on the top of the stairs one second, and then, a careless little slip of the hoof, and then I'm in a terrible world of pain. I remember feeling the tear in my stomach, the blood rushing and seeing the quick glimpse of the world moving in a blur, before a flash of pain filled my head. The next things I see is a little slit of light through my vision, blurred and red. I hear muffled shouts from another room.
I feel like screaming. It was as though someone reached in with a pair of scissors and cut anything they could find, fracturing my bones, pounding away in my head as my heart fluttered, tearing internal organs.
My foal!
I want to shout out to Button-anyone to help me, to get them out. Help my foal. For all I know, it's life is in danger. I feel a sudden motion and look straight ahead at a blur, brown and orange invade my vision as I feel a pressure on my chest, and feel my lungs fill with air. It has to be him. I want to reach out to him, to caress his face and cry into his shoulder with how I know we lost our foal. And shout at him to get them out before they can...
I feel my face turn sharply to the left, and feel a warm fluid liquid pour out my mouth. And listen to Button's shaking voice as he continues to press into my chest, inflaming a broken area in my ribcage. "They're on their way Sweetie Belle, don't worry. Just keep your heart beating." He says shakily. The beating sound in my ears intensifies and then I feel myself lift from the floor, and I have some sort of mask on my face. I feel the pain numb as I find the faded mixing colors of red and white turn into grey. An annoying beeping sounds from the distance as my vision begins to darken.
"Stay with me Sweetie Belle." An ominous voice says to my right. There's a bit of movement as I look straight ahead at the racing colors. I can't remember anything else from that point. Nothing but an empty blackness and the sound of voices. I feel nothing, I'm not falling, I'm not floating, nor do I feel anymore pain. I just want to know what's going on. Why am I here instead of at home? Why couldn't I have been more careful on those steps? What happened to my foal?
I have so many questions, all I can do is listen to the steady racing sound of my heart, the only thing I can do. Just listen to my heart. And slowly, the bluish world around me, and the blinding lights from afar fade.
Fading,
Fading,
Fading.
I remember one last movement, one last thing, before it all becomes nothing. I see brown, orange, and hear choked words in my ears;
"I'm sorry Sweetie Belle. I'm so sorry." All I can do is just listen. Listen and wait.
"Please stay with me. Please." His voice echoes, burning it's self in my memory.
Sorry Bounces through my thoughts, the word appears in rhythm with my heart.
Sorry,
Sorry,
Sorry.
I never told him. I never said the truth. And now this is my fate, hurting the one I love, and lying. The one thing I feel now, more than the building sadness, is guilt. Guilt is what consumes me as I'm swallowed by darkness, my name being called out from afar off distance, before the edges of my vision darkens just in time to see the damp pillow right underneath me. And then there's silence, as everything, even that voice, those orange and brown colors dissolves around me. Losing all of the warmth it had with it.
By this point I just stare at them blankly. Not sure of what to do or say at the moment. Part of me wants to scream out and shout, and others just want me to sob until there's nothing left.
"She lost too much blood," A nurse tries to explain to me. "She's under a coma. And, we're not sure about whether or not she'll ever wake up." I move my gaze to the floor, and just stare at it.
"I-I'm sorry." The doctor says.
"Your foal is ok though, she's breathing, but she's not of proper growth. It will take a while before she can go home." One doctor says in a brighter tone.
I don't know what I would've done next had I not walked out of there.
I find Apple Bloom a few hallways away, her back turned to me. I'm surprised to see her here, when I notice she's crying. I walk to her curiously, wondering if she knew what was going on.
"Apple Bloom?" I ask, she stops and straightens up, takes in a deep breath and turns her head in my direction. Tears flowing from her eyes.
"Hi Button." She says, moving around to face me.
"You already know?" I ask curiously.
"Ya mean she...?" She asked in shock.
"She's in a coma, and is in pretty bad shape, she lost so much blood, but there's no way of knowing she'll ever wake up." I say. I let my head drop to the ground.
"You mean, she didn't tell ya?" She asked, lifting a hoof from the ground in a questionable matter.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"She never told you?" She continued.
"Told me what?" I ask impatiently.
"Button, when she had her miscarriage, she was hurt REALLY bad,"
"Don't you think I know that?!" I shout out of frustration. "What's that got to do with now?" I say. Her face reflected pity, she walked closer to me in attempt to comfort me, but I scoot away.
"She didn't fully heal when she became pregnant again. Those pills she took were supposed to help," She continues.
"She said that they were prescribed to help our foal live, she didn't lie to me; she wouldn't lie to me." I say. I brush past her, in a rush to get home in a sudden rage.
"But, that ain't what she lied about." She said after me. I stop, and turn to her.
"Then what is it?" I spit.
"She and the foal had a low chance of surviving. She didn't want ya to worry about her, so she thought it was best to keep to herself, instead, and heal quietly." She says. "I shouldn't have been the one ta tell ya this. I'm awful sorry ta say this, but-" I never heard what else she said. I just took off down the hall. I ran for who knows how long, from that terrible night, that terrible moment, and Sweetie Belle.
I slam the door to our house, breathing in deeply when seeing the blood on the floor. I climbed up the stairs, and then sat huddled on the bed. The events of the night replayed in my head, my blood pumping through my veins and making me squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block away the painful memories. It's no used though, and my thoughts drift to Apple Bloom's words.
'That ain't what she lied about. She and the foal had a low chance of surviving. She didn't want ya ta worry 'bout her,'
Why would Sweetie Belle lie about that? Doesn't she trust me any more? Why is she keeping secrets from me? Why would she tell her friends over her own husband? Does she not remember her promise from all of those years ago? If she truly cared she would've told the truth.
Frustrated, I get up and head to the mirror, staring at the pony in front of me. Blood in his fur, on his lips, and a few patches in his matted mane. His eyes were puffy and blazing orange, fierce and wild. I turn to the side and I notice just how much I look like I a zombie from the Trotting Dead. I sigh and head to the bathroom, only to stare and squint at my reflection as numb anger floats through me. I ignore it and begin to wash my face, ridding it of all of the blood it encountered, and any sign that this night has ever happened.
I look up to find a scowl stationed on my face, and now anger showing brightly through my eyes. I can't stop the continuous words I want to say from coming into mind.
'Why did I ever believe that I should trust every word she said?' I feel like an idiot, betrayed and lied to, so caught up in the clouds; and now I'm crashing down to the ground below. I stomp out immediately, trying to push her from my thoughts. I end up on the bed again, sitting there, just staring at the sand white floor beneath me.
'She's the one that kept me on my hooves, that kept me from falling down the wrong paths, and making the wrong decisions. How could she just let me go like that? After all this time?'
I gaze to my left, and find a picture of Sweetie Belle and me from our wedding. A mix of emotions swell up inside of me. Hatred. Betrayal. Distrust. Pain. She lied to me. She betrayed me. Why didn't she just trust me? In a flash, there's a loud shatter, and I find the picture across the room, broken glass littering the floor around it.
Another shatter follows as I throw another picture behind it. I continue to throw things until I blow my self out. It's not until I throw her song book at the mirror that I stop. I stare at it from across the bed, still radiating with rage.
'She didn't want ya ta worry 'bout her,' Those words echo through my head as I stand up and walk to it to retrieve it. Ignoring the cuts and blood dotting my hooves, I pick it up cautiously, as those it were a chemical or fragile enough that just touching I would shatter it.
A glint of light catches my eye and out of curiosity, I return to the bed and sit on the edge. Flipping through the pages, my anger fades as I read through it, brushing away the pieces of broken glass.
'My Dearest Button,'
What's this?
'I'm sorry that you had to find out like this.'
Why would she leave me this if she couldn't tell me to my face? I continue to read, having to read the same sentences several times before I could fully understand them.
'I never wanted you to worry about me, I can tell your stressed out enough over our new foal, even when you try to hide it. I never should've kept it away from you, and now I'm caught in a situation I can't get out of. I guess that... ever since my miscarriage, I felt that I had to protect our foal no matter what the cost. I love them with all of my heart Button, and I hope that one day you may forgive me. I don't know about whether or not I'll still be alive when you read this, or our foal for this matter, it feels wrong to tell you everything is fine like this, to fool you into saying everything is okay when it's really not.
I just have to take this chance Button, even if it's worth risking my own life. I can be a mother, we can be parents! I just...
I soften once I notice several dry drops of moisture scattered across the page, and move to the next to find more.
'I can only hope that I'll be there with you to care of them, but in the event that I'm not, or you loose the both of us...
More splatters littered the page, and the next few sentences were difficult to read in their shaken pattern. It took me a while to read through it instead of her usual steady writing.
'I want you to move on, to remember me in your memories, and never forget our love, to take care of our foal; if they make it, to give them love. I hope that whenever you look at them, that you may be reminded of me. Remember our mistakes together, and remember this promise, and most of all, remember that, I'll always love you, no matter what happens, or what I say, stay strong for me, and do what every hero or knight must do when tragedy comes into their adventure; move on.
'Keep the journey going, and one day, you may get a new member added to your party, and have many more adventures together. You've given me so many opportunities, helped me to achieve and learn about so many beautiful things. You gave me so many chances,
to fall in love,
to have my first kiss,
to get married,
to experience life altogether,
and you gave me a chance to be something I always wanted, to be a mother. I will carry these memories on for the rest of my life, cherish them and love them with all my heart, and do the same for you, and hopefully, one day, our foal.
Thank You for everything you've ever given to me Button, thank you for kindness and sympathy for me, and accepting my differences.
Your beloved,
Sweetie Belle
I close the journal, new tears running over my old ones. Now I understand why she would always looked so sorrowful whenever I asked her if she was okay, or when Twist first asked what she thinks the foal would look like. Or why she would tell her friends instead of me.
My memories reach to the time of the funeral so many months ago, before she became pregnant again. I remember seeing the darkened veil in front of her face, staring down with tears threating to spill over the tips of her eyes. Looking down at the grave as her curls blew past her face. I remember feeling her clutch her hold around my hoof, the tears spilling over.
She muttered something, something I never cared to make out; until now.
'I have to make this up to them.'
I feel my chest tighten, as though I was kicked in it. Guilt flows through me. She just wanted to save this one, and I wasn't even thinking of her like I promised her. I broke my promise, by not thinking of her before myself, I wasn't as considerate as she was.
I don't know what to do. All I know is that I want to be with her, even if she doesn't respond.
I race through the doors a second time, the hospital seeming to be deserted except for the doctors and nurses. I rush to the nurse, asking her frantically where Sweetie Belle is.
"She's..." She searched through her computer. "In room 103."
"Thank you!" I say as I rush past her, going as fast as I can, as though I wouldn't get to her in time. Finally, I stop at her door, breathing heavily as I stared at the numbers. I took a deep breath and opened the door.
I felt terrible, like guilt was crushing me from the inside out. All I could hear were their voices, their weeps and sobs over me, although I lied to them this whole time. I found myself wondering if it was better that I should've died in labor, and things may have better for them, and Button.
That's why I was surprised to hear the door open again.
At first I thought it was a friend, or maybe a nurse to check on me. But I was taken by surprise when I heard the last voice I expected to hear. "Sweetie Belle?" He asked. I felt like I would've cried, had I not been in this unmoving state I was in. I wanted to open my eyes and look at his face, to wrap my hoof around it and hold him there for the day, and through the night.
"I'm sorry I left you before, but I don't ever want to leave your side again. And I'm not starting now." He said. It felt like someone set a twenty ton brick upon my chest, I wanted to scream out my sorrows, and tell him how much I was sorry for the things I've said and lied about. I wanted to ask him about if they were okay, and see them for myself.
"I don't know if you can hear me or not, but I hope that you can forgive me for breaking my promise, like I did with you."
He knows? Did he read my letter? I'm so sorry Button.
"I want to be with you Sweetie Belle, whether you ever wake up or not. Even if it means I never get to see your wonderfully beautiful eyes again eyes again. I don't want to leave my girls alone again."
Girls? Does that mean...
"She's in bad shape, but is getting better according to the doctors. She's full of life despite her small size, I know you'll love her. She's as beautiful as her mother."
I don't know how long I was ever out, but it felt like the same routine everyday, I was always happy to have Button there by my side, talking with me and telling me about how she was growing and getting healthier with every day. I just wish I could se her, and it felt like forever before could ever open my eyes again. I remember every time Button asked the doctors to bring her in. According to him, she was energetic, and always being playful. I remember hearing her coos and happy shrieks of joy through that glass container I overheard she was in.
But when the wonderful day came that I was able to open my eyes, I remember seeing Button's look of excitement on his face, how his face immediately lit up at the sight of my eyes. I felt so happy to see his smile, and the happy tears flowing down his face. I remember hearing him run out to alert a doctor and nurse about this.
The tests they did to see if I was anymore responsive, and hearing Button ask the doctor for something. I just wish I could've moved in any other way besides just looking straight ahead and blinking. It all changed however, when day Button came in with her in his arms. I felt joy swell up in my chest when I saw her. Her light brown fur, and her reddish skin underneath as she slept away in her fathers arm. I remember seeing her beautiful small pink and light orange curls wrapped around her head, and the tuft of her tail. She was breathing so frantically, and sleeping so peacefully. Yawning once before smiling and scooting in closer with her father.
I wanted to hold her and break out of the state I was trapped in. To break free and hold her in my arms, and never ever let go. I wanted to hug and kiss her, and see her beautiful eyes. She looked so small and feeble, so delicate and thin. It made my heart sink when I realized she wasn't completely healthy.
"I haven't named her yet, but I figured that you should see her. I knew that you'd love her from first sight. She hasn't opened her eyes yet, but I bet that she will soon." Button ranted, taking a seat next to me. I wanted to shift my gaze in her direction to see her. Hearing her soft little breaths was so comforting to me. It felt like the most wonderful thing in the world to know that this little filly was mine.
Time seems to tease me as I recovered. I remember opening my eyes frantically, I began to grow afraid of closing my eyes, afraid that everything would turn out to be a dream, and that I'd only wake up in the nightmare I was in. I remember seeing Button there every morning, seeing the fear in my eyes, and how he'd always set his hoof over mine. The hours with him would turn into days, and days would slide into weeks, and he was there the whole time.
I felt comforted seeing him there, having him kiss me on the head every time I would wake up. I felt a joy when I was with him. I just with that I could be spending with my daughter, playing with her, and holding her close.
I guess that you could say it was the worst pain of it all. It made me want to break down and cry, not knowing whether or not she was safe or not.
When I finally broke free from my stationary prison, I remember seeing Button cry out tears of joy.
"Sweetie Belle?" He asked in disbelief.
"Button." I replied softly. He closed his arms around me, and hugged me tightly there in his embrace, I remember squeezing him and crying happily into his shoulder.
"It's been so long since I heard you speak." He said softly. "I'm so glad that you're ok." He said.
I only replied;
"Me too."
I went through so many tests that day, and I remember holding her for the first time. It felt like the most wonderful thing in the world, as though my whole world started to shift. It was no longer just Button or my friends or family holding me down to the Earth anymore; it was her. I felt lie I had to protect her, and be there for her no matter what.
Once we both recovered, I don't ever remember loosening my grip on her, or ever setting her down. Returning home was a sight for sore eyes, and felt warmer and it's serene welcome than all of the tension in the hospital.
The moment she opened her eyes to look up at me, I remember seeing her little orange eyes look up happily at me, and seeing her reach out to me, a happy note escaping her mouth.
