He felt sweat trickle down his neck and fall to the floor. His hoof was firmly pressed on his mouse, waiting to make the right move at the right time. Buttons squinted his eyes and bit his lip in nervousness.
Slowly, he scrolled his mouse and got his regeneration potion in hoof. His sword was ready to strike, shimmering under the enchantement that he had applied to it. It looked the same as the one that the filly in front of him was holding. She had the same glowing armor as he did and looked as determined.
Suddenly she leaped forward, slashing her sword at him with all her might. Button, quick as a flash, threw the pink potion on the floor, causing it to explode and give him thirty seconds of health. Then, he scrolled his mouse and got his diamond sword out to start fighting back. He had already lost one heart due to the time he lost in applying his potion but it quickly came back.
Button ducked another attack from the white filly and hit her right in the left flank, causing her to flash red for a second. She turned and jumped forward, her hooves squishing him and making him loose a heart. She leaned in and dug her sword in his neck, making him loose another two hearts.
Down to seven hearts against nine... Come on Button! Beat her!
The brown colt wiggled out of her grasp, pressing the W key twice and as fast as possible. He jumped out of her way and took another two hits at her head before she turned and retreated. Buttons took that as a sign of weakness and ran to her only to be hit by a poisoning potion.
He immediately turned the other way and gulped down some milk.
Six hearts against seven... Still not good enough. Probably shouldn't have wasted my health potion...
He charged back, remembering his flint and steel. Button hit the block under her with the object and she was engulfed by burning flames. The white filly quickly got a bucket of water out and dumped it on her head. Then she got out a bucket of lava.
Uh oh... I should've brought some water with me too!
He desperately tried to avoid the steaming lava and lunged at her. She hit him and pushed him back into the hot consistance.
Button finally gave up as he watched his life points go down to zero.
"Dangit!" he yelled out of frustration, putting his mouse down and crossing his hooves. He heard a giggle behind him and saw Sweetie Belle smiling.
"No need to rage quit Button! It's just a game!"
Button smiled as well, warmed up by her happiness. "You're too good actually!"
"Ya can't beat the SweetBellSinger!" Sweetie Belle stuck her tongue out at him playfully, using her minecraft username.
"That's what YOU think! Rematch?"
"Only to see you loose again!" she chuckled.
"Button! What are you and Sweetie doing?" came a voice behind them. Button spun around and saw his mother standing in the doorway, looking at them with a caring face.
"Just playing Minecraft!" he replied. "We're doing PVP!"
"What's that?" she asked, coming towards them.
"It's Pony vs Pony! Now we were going to play another game..."
"Of course! Sorry honey. Have fun!"
"Thank you miss!" chirped Sweetie Belle, turning back to Button. "Now about me beating you again..."
"Not a chance!" grinned Button, ready to get back in the game and win.
The moment they were about to play, Button's mother called him again. The two foals groaned upon seeing Rarity step inside the room.
"Time to go Sweetie!" she smiled. "You've been here all afternoon!"
"But sis!" started to protest the white filly.
Rarity shot her a glare that meant 'You better not argue!'.
"Coming... See you tomorrow at school then Button?"
"Sure!" he smiled, energized at the fact that he'd see her again the next day. "Bye!"
"Bye!" she chirped back, hopping out of the room.
Rarity and Button mom gave a knowing smile to each other before stepping out too.
Button stayed in his chair, hearing the front door open then close behind them. He sighted as he felt loneliness creep over him. Sunday afternoons were the best! Sweetie Belle would come to his house to play minecraft and it would always be a blast! It's just a shame everything has to end.
Might as well practice PVP...
Button focused his gaze back on his computer and noticed another one next to his. A pink one.
Just at that moment, Sweetie Belle jumped through his open window and landed next to him.
"S... Sweetie Belle?"
"Forgot my computer..." said a sheepish white filly.
She grabbed it and came back out the way she had come in, waving her hoof.
Button blinked. Processed. Then grinned.
"She's so cool!"
Ring!
All the foals stopped playing and ran towards the door of the school to line up.
Button stood next to Clearwater, one of his video games friends and looked over at where Sweetie Belle was.
She was jumping up and down with Applebloom and Scootaloo, whispering about 'bungee jumping cutie marks' or something.
Button sighted and hung his head. Never would he be able to show her his feelings! She just considered him as a good friend.
The class entered the school building and sat down in their seats, talking and laughing.
"Alright my little ponies! Settle down, settle down" smiled Cheerilee, waking in. "Today we have a very special guest!"
"Please tell me it isn't one of Filthy Rich's speeches about economy again..." muttered Button to his friend.
Clearwater nodded with a frown.
"It's a visit from Mr.GameSpark, the successful video game creator!"
Button's mouth gaped open.
No. Way.
"THE GameSpark?" chirped Sweetie Belle, two rows in front.
"THE creator of League of Ponies?" exclaimed Clearwater.
"THE assistant that helped create Minecraft?" Button was overwhelmed with joy.
"Yes THE everything" chuckled Cheerilee. "He'll be here in just a few minutes I think."
"Ugh. Another boring day..." murmured Diamond Tiara to Silver Spoon, loud enough to be heard by every foal in the classroom.
"The most borin' day I ever lived through was the day when ya dad came in and said his speech about econo whatever!" defended Applebloom for her video game lover friend.
"Miss. Cheerilee! Applebloom is insulting my dad after the brilliant educational speech he gave us on economy!" whined Diamond.
"She wasn't insulting him! She was just saying the truth!" Scootaloo earned a few nods from others.
"See Miss?" complained Diamond.
Cheerilee just sighted and was about to reply when a stallion with a faint yellow coat and an orange and green mane stepped in.
He took his shades off and flashed a smile at the foals gathered in the classroom.
It was at that moment that the fillies experienced their first crush and the colts experienced the first time at feeling less awesome then somepony else.
"Hello class!" GameSpark made a stool appear next to him and sat down. "How are you all doing today?"
"Good!" the class replied in unison.
"Do you know why I'm here today?"
"To make us learn stuff about video games?" suggested Sweetie Belle.
"Not just to make you learn stuff! To show you all the wonders that our technology has developed!" GameSpark looked through his attaché case and took out a weird looking camera. "Like this!"
Exclamations of surprise and wonder were heard in the class.
"What is it?" Twist asked curiously.
"It's a camera that can transport you into any game... You just take a picture of yourself and of the main menu of the game you wish to go in, and it'll do just that!"
A shocked but respectful silence made way as all the foals were now fantasizing about such a device. Whispers of enthusiasm could be heard everywhere as they all stared at the camera.
It was glowing cyan and white. It's lenses seemed to be shimmering and the strap was imprinted with the logo that matched GameSpark's cutie mark- which was a shiny computer.
"That would be so cool!" grinned Clearwater. "When do you think it's going to be on sale?"
"No idea" replied Button, admiring it before putting his hoof up.
"Yes?" Cheerilee encouraged him to speak.
"When can we like uh... buy it?"
"That's going to take about a few months more. It's still a little glitchy and we need everything to be perfect on the release date."
"And are you going to let ponies test it first?"
Good question Sweetie!
"Yes! But those will be older and more experienced ponies."
Sweetie Belle frowned and nodded.
"I think that is all I have to tell you..." murmured GameSpark, his eyebrows arched. "Ah yes! One last thing! If you wish, I can come to one of your houses this Sunday to see what you would like to see more in the camera."
Cheers of approval were heard and Cheerilee had a hard time silencing the students.
"The thing is," GameSpark put on a sad face, "only one of you can answer my questions. And to know who it will be, I propose that we play a good old fashioned PVP in minecraft?"
Cheerilee looked devastated but she simply couldn't resist against the pouty faces of dozens of students and gave in.
The foals that wanted to invite him over the next Sunday all took their computers out of their saddle bags and logged onto the same server.
Twist, Clearwater, Sweetie Belle, Button and Rumble were all in the game.
"Ready?" smiled GameSpark. "Go!"
Buttons shot a quick look at Sweetie Belle and saw that they had the exact same plan in mind. Buttons focused back to the game.
He darted towards her and stopped next to the white filly without causing any harm, immediately creating an alliance.
Buttons fired his arc and shot five deadly arrows at Twist. Her player disappeared and he turned to the next one.
Sweetie Belle was stuck in a battle with Clearwater and seemed to be winning. The colt saw that too and retreated to regenerate.
Button was having trouble beating Rumble and had no idea what to do when he remembered Sweetie's technique last time she beat him.
The brown colt focused and tried to ignore the looks that the whole class was giving him.
I've got to win this!
He suddenly jumped backwards and put a pool of lava in the exact spot where he was standing a second ago. Rumble jumped straight into it and burned to death.
Sweetie Belle caused the tree where Clearwater was hiding to burn and managed to kill the light blue colt.
Then, the two friends turned to each other, their alliance disappearing like smoke.
Button was panicking. He couldn't win this or Sweetie would be upset! And if he lost, then he'd regret it!
On the other hoof, Sweetie Belle seemed determined to show no mercy. Button gulped as he charged towards her, slicing through her armor as fast as he could.
She replied by throwing as many poisoned bottles at him and making him loose half of his hearts.
Button was about to retreat when GameSpark asked them to stop.
All the foals casted a surprised look at the stallion.
"I've seen enough!" he smiled.
"But then who won?" asked Sweetie doubtfully.
"Both of you!" GameSpark seemed to be overjoyed. "I just thought that two ponies instead of one would be better for the development of my product. They have different visions of the game and that would be a great boost!"
"So... we both won?" Button couldn't believe it! That was the perfect way out of his problem!
"Yes you did!"
Cheers of congratulations erupted in the classroom as Button and Sweetie Belle smiled at each other, relieved to be in the adventure together!
"Is he late?" asked Button for the hundredth time.
"I don't know!" muttered Sweetie Belle for the hundredth time as well.
"Mom is he late?" yelled Button.
"STOP. ASKING." shouted his mother, apparently exasperated.
"Sorry!"
And two minutes later :
"Is he late?"
"I don't know!"
"Mom is he-"
"He's here! He's here!" shrieked his mother at last before muttering something like 'thank Celestia he's early'.
Sweetie Belle gave an exited smile to her friend that he immediately gave back.
Finally, GameSpark entered Button's room with his usual class and elegance, carrying an attaché case as usual.
"Hello sir!" Sweetie got up from her chair while Button brought the stallion another one.
"Heya kids! Ready to work?"
"Yeah!" Button cheered.
"Good! Now I'm going to ask you two questions and you just have to answer. Got it?" said GameSpark once he was seated.
The two friends nodded and the questions started.
"Goodbye sir!"
"Bye mister GameSpark!"
"See you kids later!"
Button and Sweetie Belle waved the stallion goodbye as he walked out of the house before returning back to Buttons bedroom.
"Phew! That was long! It's night time!"
"Yeah" approved Sweetie, hopping back onto her chair. "But it was fun!"
Buttons nodded. "Hey wanna play minecraft?"
"Sure! My sister's out for the week and I'm left home alone for now."
"I thought she didn't like leaving you alone?" Button raised an eyebrow.
"She realized she could trust me when we did an event together... But never mind that! You want to play with other players or create a world with just the two of us?"
"A solo world seems good" shrugged Button, opening minecraft.
While the game was loading, he took a look around his room, feeling funny.
"Hey Sweetie? I kinda feel..."
"Weird?" completed the filly. "Yeah I feel like that too..."
"Maybe we've been playing video games for too..."
Buttons paused, his gaze haven fallen on something. It was GameSpark's attaché case, laying horizontally and facing them, just waiting to be opened!
"Sweetie!" he excitedly whispered. "Look!"
Sweetie Belle followed his gaze and let out a cry of surprise.
"GameSpark forgot his case!"
"Surely he'll be back to get it... What if we took a peek inside?"
"You kidding?" Sweetie Belle suddenly looked scared. "What if we get caught?"
"And what if we discover super secrets?!"
The temptation was too strong and Sweetie Belle joined Buttons next to the case. "Go on! Open it then!"
Button gulped and undid the latch. The second he did that, a bright flash blinded him.
He heard Sweetie's scream and felt himself fall into a pit of fire. His whole body was burning.
Then the world became black and Button's last thought was to wonder whether Sweetie was okay or not.
Moo. Moo. Moo.
"Sweetie... Stop it! I'm trying to sleep here..." muttered Button.
Bêêê! Bêêê!
"And don't do the sheep either!" complained the brown colt.
He heard a moan close to him.
Right. I got it. Gotta wake up...
Buttons sat up and opened his eyes.
Immediately the sun blinded him and burnt his eyes.
"Gah!" he protested, putting his hoof in front of his eyes to protect them.
Wait... Something's not right... I don't remember sleeping outside yesterday! Actually... I don't remember anything but the camera... The camera!
Button took his hoof off of his forehead and, ignoring the burning sun, he looked around.
What he saw left him speechless.
A world of cubes and blocks was bestowed upon him. Blocky sheep and cows were walking around and he could see rectangular flowers moving in the wind. A calm breeze was blowing through his mane. The beauty of the place mixed with his stupor was enough to make him stand up in fear.
No... No, no no no NO! This isn't right! Why did the camera flash?! Ugh... Think Buttons think! Let's see... First things first, where is Sweetie Belle?
Buttons turned around and saw her laying on the ground. She looked like she was in a deep slumber. The brown colt couldn't help but stare at her delicate pure white face and her shimmering mane. She made him think of The Sleeping Pony at that moment.He looked at her little nuzzle that would scrunch up if ever she lost a game. Her mouth was surprisingly forming a smile and-
Buttons shook himself. I'm starting to think that I'm acting like a creep...
"Hey Sweetie? Uh... We have a problem so please wake up?" he tried.
Sweetie Belle shifted her position and turned the other way with a moan, apparently enjoying the soft grass.
"Sweetie Belle! C'mon wake up! This is no time for a nap!" Buttons started to shake her.
Sweetie's eyes finally fluttered open, revealing the sweet emerald color of them inside. Buttons couldn't admire them for any longer for she jumped up and put a hoof on them to protect herself from the blocky sun.
"What's happening?! Buttons! What did you do?!" she shrieked completely blinded.
Buttons frowned. He wasn't usually the one that did pranks and mistakes right? "I didn't do anything! But I think we've been transported to Minecraft."
"Buttons," Sweetie scolded, slowly taking her hoof away from her face."I think that a prank like that would be-"
She stopped and stared at the world that was laid out in front of her. Her mouth dropped open. "Did... Did you...?"
"No!" protested Buttons. "It was GameSpark's camera remember?"
"What do you... Oh yeah... It transported us here?!" she shrieked.
"That's my guess. We were opening our minecraft accounts so the main menu of the game was probably behind us. And we were both in the camera's view when it happened."
"But why did it take the picture at the moment where you opened the case?"
Buttons shrugged. "GameSpark said it had a few glitches remember?"
Sweetie stood up, suddenly starting to panic. "But how are we going to get out of the game?!"
"I hadn't thought of that either... But GameSpark probably put a 'exit game' button somewhere. Look in the corners of your point of view."
The white filly nodded and they both searched. However after a few minutes or so they had to come to the conclusion that it didn't exist yet.
"But what are we going to do?" Sweetie Belle whimpered, falling to the ground.
"I don't know..." murmured Buttons. "Our families will think we ran away or something..." Then he looked at Sweetie Belle and saw tears in her eyes. Buttons awkwardly put his hoof around her, feeling himself become red. "Don't cry. We'll... We'll find a way out!"
"Yeah but... Do you think we can die in here?"
Buttons froze. "I... I don't know! GameSpark wouldn't have done that would he?!"
"Well during the interview, remember when he said that our bodies will disappear in the real world? Maybe that means they're really here too."
"Yeah but it would be so dangerous! Nopony would buy it!"
"He said they had about a year before releasing it. Maybe they didn't have time to take off the fact that we could die or get hurt?"
"Maybe but..." Buttons stopped then turned to her. "Hey! Stop acting so negative!"
"Sorry... I guess I'm just scared."
The brown colt gave her his biggest and most reassuring smile. "I'll protect you don't you worry!"
Sweetie stood up blushing and frowning. "I don't need anypony to protect me!" Then she dropped her furious face and gave him a small smile that made his heart beat faster. "But... Thanks anyways."
Buttons smiled back and stared at the world in front of him. "So what's the plan?"
"Maybe there are beta testers somewhere? They could help us get out!"
"Mmmh... I doubt that. But... Villagers maybe?"
"Yeah! Good idea! Alright we've got a goal! To find villagers!"
Buttons nodded enthusiastically and looked back at the blocky world. "We should create a shelter... I don't see any villages around so we should prepare to go on a journey to find one."
"You're right. This place is beautiful, but at night..."
Sweetie looked at the snowy mountains in the distance, the birch forest directly behind the plain they were standing in and the rocky hills next to it all. She knew as well as Buttons that the beauty of the place could change fast at night.
"So let's go towards the birch forest and dig something in the hills next to it" suggested Buttons.
Sweetie nodded as they trotted over to the forest. She couldn't believe that the sun was actually making her feel hot. It was also very weird to walk on blocks and to go straight through grass.
They finally arrived in front of a tree and looked at each other with uncertainty.
"Well... Should we... punch it?"
"I guess..." shrugged Buttons, walking right over to it and hitting the wood. Sweetie cringed at the noise that it made but Button didn't seem hurt. He continued punching the wood until a tiny block appeared at its place. "It doesn't hurt! That was so weird!"
"Good! I'll go take down a few other trees so that we have enough wood to last a few tools."
They got to work and while Sweetie Belle was chopping down her third tree, she suddenly looked up. "Hey Button! I think the night and day last the same time as in real life!"
Buttons didn't answer. The white filly curiously turned to him and saw he was approaching a chicken. A wooden sword was in his mouth.
"What are you doing?!" gasped Sweetie, running to him. "You can't kill it!"
"Why not?" grunted Button.
"It's so cute!" whimpered the unicorn, picking the chicken up and giving it a big hug.
"But I'm hungry! Aren't you?"
Sweetie felt her stomach growl. Then she looked back at the chicken that gave her the cutest of looks. And her hunger got more intense.
"Okay..."
Buttons approached her ready to strike and she shrieked, taking steps back. "I wasn't finished! You're not killing this chicken. Go kill another animal but not him!"
Buttons just stared at her. "Seriously?! You're going to keep it as a pet?"
"Yes!" huffed the unicorn in a very 'Rarity' way. "And as soon as I can, I'll go make him a leash!"
Buttons walked away, still confused. Mares...
The thing isn't even alive! It's just a game! What are we going to eat if she starts to get attached to every animal she encounters? And I hope she knows that to make a leash you need slime balls...
The brown colt later came back to the forest with six raw pork chops, one raw beef and two blocks of wool. When he arrived, he looked around but to his panic, couldn't find Sweetie Belle.
"Sweetie Belle! Where are you?" he screamed, suddenly fearing the worst.
"Here!" chirped a little voice above him.
Buttons looked up and saw a small wooden construction in the trees. A little white head was popping out and smiling at him. "I decided to make the house in the trees so that less mobs could get to us!"
"Good idea" grinned Button, piling up dirt blocks to get to the top.
He opened the door - she had actually made a door - and peeked inside.
Even thought it was small, Sweetie had done her best in decorating it. A few flowers were planted on dirt blocks, giving out a sweet aroma and the chests were half opened, exposing their juicy content - apples. A furnace was adding a nice warm and welcoming light to the whole thing while a crafting table had been implanted where the last log of the tree had been.
"Like it?"
"Totally! Your decoration skills are great."
Sweetie slightly blushed at the compliment and gave him another smile. "So what did you do?"
"I got us some food!" Buttons gave her all of it.
"Meat..." flinched Sweetie, putting it in the furnace.
"There isn't anything else... And I'm also happy to see you got rid of that chicken. It would have-"
A tiny head popped out from out the chest and gave a little 'cluck!'.
"What was that?" asked Sweetie, busy with the 'cooking'.
"Never mind." grumbled Button.
Crunch.
Sweetie Belle took a bite of the cooked meat and shuddered with disgust. The animal wasn't real... It wasn't... And this is... salad! Yes salad! Ugh... Yuck! The taste certainly isn't fooling me...
Buttons watched amused as Sweetie made different faces while eating her meat. He was quite surprised by the taste but he didn't find it horrible. It was just... okay. Not as bad as he thought it'd be.
"Don't worry! We'll only be eating this for as long as we're stuck here!" mocked Buttons.
"Yeah well we better not be here long..." muttered the young unicorn.
Suddenly, the light inside their home seemed to brighten.
Button looked gloomily at his friend and they both looked outside.
Night was falling. And the game certainly wasn't on peaceful mode.
Sweetie's whimper awoke Button from his trance. "Yeah... Yeah we will... And in case there's a... problem, just remember that we're number one and two in the best PvP servers... Okay?"
Sweetie nodded but he knew that she couldn't have been reassured for his voice was shaking.
They heard footsteps outside. Button perked his ears up, waiting for a sign that could show them what monster was under their tree.
When no noise came he concluded it was surely an animal... or maybe a creeper? "There doesn't seem to be much activity down there" he said to the unicorn.
"Thank Celestia! Wherever she is..."
Button peeked out the hole in the treehouse.
It's true that he had always found it weird that the sun and moon could move by themselves?! It was a really annoying mystery... He remembered when Twist had tried to figure out who was controlling minecraft. Days of research and nights with no sleep had resulted in her mother forbidding her from continuing her research.
Button looked in the distance. And that's when he saw them.
He saw red shimmering eyes far away. He saw purple ones too. And purple particles.
And there were surely other creepy monsters hiding in the distance.
No doubt that the game was going to be fierce tonight...
The moon was throwing an eerie glow on the world. Button realized that even thought the world was now full of horrors and fears, it still looked amazing. A compilation of blocks and game codes had formed all of that. The ponies who created it were amazingly talented. And also crazy to make something so dangerous.
The brown colt shivered out of fear. Why didn't I propose to set our games on peaceful mode?! Why did I have to open the case?! Why did we have to be picked for GameSpark's interview?!
But that was the way things worked. And now they were stuck in a video game full of violence and monsters...
Actually... When I try being positive... I can be thankful for not playing on a server... The other players would have already killed us. And I'm glad I'm with somepony else. Sweetie Belle no less. "Button?" murmured Sweetie.
"Yes?" Button gave her his biggest smile when he turned to her but saw that she was curled up in a ball in the corner. The chicken was being held hostage in her hooves.
"Do you... Do you think we'll..." her voice broke "Do you think we will die here?"
"No... Of course not!" Button got closer and sat next to her.
"What about our families? We could die and... and they'll never know the truth about how we died... We would be forgotten..."
Button had never seen his friend so fragile and scared. That made him realize at what point she needed him. Her soul and spirit could be broken at any moment.
Button closed his eyes and remembered the happy filly he had known. He remembered her joyful laugh and sparkling eyes. The way her mouth would open and she would sing her beautiful melody.
Then he looked at the filly now.
Tears of fear were streaming down her cheeks. They were wetting the poor chicken who gave little clucks of disagreement.
Her once smiling mouth had turned into a sad frown that broke his heart. Her fragile little body was curled up in a ball.
And without thinking, Button wrapped his hooves around her neck, tears freely descending his face too.
He felt her surprise and talked before she could. "We will be okay Sweetie Belle. It's... It's a promise. A promise that I'll never break. You're not alone. You'll never be as long as I'm here. No matter what, I'll protect you and always be there for you. I don't care if you don't want my protection. I'll give it to you anyways. You can count on me. I mean..."
Button gave a small smile. "... that's what friends are for right?"
At first there was only silence. Then a sob. "Thank you..." The whisper came from nowhere and everywhere at once.
Button barely heard it as Sweetie returned his embrace, crying in his chest.
At that moment they were alone, two ponies trying to survive and helping each other. That was who they were right there at that moment.
Button broke the hug after a little while. Sweetie's cheeks were red as well as her nose.
She got up and looked at the chicken's fluffy feathers. He didn't seem very happy about being squished and plunged into a pool of salty tears.
He gave them a glare.
Then... a chuckle. Sweetie's mouth corners started to lift up as her chuckle soon turned into laughter.
Button just stared at her, confused.
"He's... He's giving us a death glare..." laughed Sweetie.
Button's eyes sparkled as he saw her smile again and he looked at the chicken. It did seem to be giving them a mean stare.
And before he knew it, he was laughing alongside Sweetie Belle, rolling to the floor and clutching his stomach.
A good laugh did them well after all they had been through and at the end they stared at each other.
Just a second after, a 'shliwirth' noise broke their complicity and they both turned to the window.
This time, no fear was shown on Sweetie's face. Only determination. She grabbed her stone sword and gave a smart look to Button. "Ready to go fight the only stupid thing that came up our tree?!"
Button immediately grabbed his and returned the look with a smile. "Sure am!"
She barged out the door and he quickly followed, getting ready to fight... before freezing to the spot.
Spiders in minecraft were huge! Dear Celestia they were also very intimidating!
Button shook himself and stared directly into (one of) the red glowing eyes, trying to pass a clear message. I won't let you harm anypony! You are going to die tonight and right here!
Sweetie came to his side and he noticed her presence gave him strength.
He stared into her eyes and she nodded. Let's go!
Sweetie Belle charged forward, followed by Button.
She sliced it's front leg and the mob immediately flashed red. Button sliced it's face and the thing swiped it's two mandibles, almost hitting him.
Meanwhile, Sweetie was slashing its stomach, having crawled under the thing. She ducked it's back leg by rolling to the side.
Button jumped on top of the thing and finished it, falling off when it disappeared, only leaving some string and a few shimmering xp balls.
"Sweetie Belle!" he cheered, turning around. "We did it! Our first-"
Button stopped. Where was Sweetie Belle?
A shiver ran up his spine when he remembered her fighting the spider.
The back leg of it slamming into the leaves of the tree, when she ducked it by rolling on the side. The fact that she hasn't appeared after that.
Button slowly walked to the edge of the tree and peered down.
There, cowering away from the mobs, was the white form of a unicorn.
Button's scream awoke her from her terror. All determination and challenge had disappeared, leaving room for paralyzed legs and fear.
She tried to focus her eyes back on the monsters in front of her but it was no use. Her breath was already unsteady for falling off the tree (which had hurt quite a bit), so it certainly wasn't getting better considering her current state of panic.
The ground seemed to move and the forms approaching wiggled.
"Sweetie Belle! I'm here!"
The voice of her friend was close now. Sweetie shifted her gaze to him and finally seemed to notice the brown foal.
A hoof on hers started to pull her backwards, away from the danger.
"Come on! Walk! Or running would be better!"
"Yes... I'm coming..." You can't die like this... Remember everything Button did for you...
Sweetie suddenly got up, doing her best to clear her panic away and gave Button a look that meant she was fine now.
He led her away, running towards the tree were their house was located. That's when Sweetie Belle remembered that she had crawled away from it, waiting for the pain of her fall to die down.
She then looked up a bit to stare directly at Button's mane. She saw bits of his sword sticking out from either side of his head (which made her realize hers was still on the ground behind them) and admired his courage.
Why can't I be more like you? How do you manage jumping off a tree and plunging strait into danger just to save me?
That's when it hit her. She curiously stared at him. I've never met somepony so nice and loyal to me... Who are you really to me Button?
"This way!! The tree is right there!" shouted Button, pulling her away from her thoughts.
"Do you have blocks to pile up?" asked Sweetie, looking up.
"No... I didn't really think about that when I jumped down..."
"Mine are all in the chest! What are going to do?!" The white filly turned around to see a spider jump at Button. "Careful!" she screamed, unconsciously shoving him out of the way and punching the blocky insect.
"I'll help!" Button slashed his sword at the thing, making it go for him. "You gather blocks! I'll distract the monsters for now!"
"What?! Wait!" But Button was already running towards the plain were he hopefully would have a better view of the attackers.
Sweetie shook herself. Be brave!
The white filly quickly gathered some dirt around the tree and when she had arrived at six, she turned around... only to face a green, disgusting face. It was bloody and smelled like rotten food.
The thing opened its mouth : "Grooooooowl"
"Eeeeep!"
Sweetie Belle turned away and started running, barely noticing her Fluttershy-like scream.
That's when another one showed up in front of her.
My sword... I need to find my sword!
Sweetie went straight pass the second zombie, knowing they were too slow to catch her.
She zigzagged through the trees, scanning the ground for her weapon. Sweetie Belle tried to ignore the purple particles that would ever so often appear next to her.
Come on... I'm not going to be able to resist them much longer... Where is my- There! Okay run to it... And got it! Now... Come at me monsters!
Sweetie turned around to face the woods when she realized that zigzagging through a forest at night caused a lot of enemies to follow you. A lot.
About five to six zombies were slowly making their way towards her and she could see more glowing purple eyes seeking her, waiting for her to lift her gaze up a little too high so they could attack her.
Behind the big group were the shiny bones of skeletons with their bows.
I didn't mean come at me like THAT! thought Sweetie, cowering away as an arrow hit the tree next to her.
She darted the other way, rushing to find her friend.
Oh Button... Where are you?! Where am I?! Did I get lost?
Sweetie suddenly approached a familiar tree and remembered the blocks she had in her inventory.
Then she shook herself, revolted at the idea that had took place in her mind. Yeah right brain! Like I'm gonna abandon my friend!
The white filly immediately knew where to go from there and she rushed through the leaves, hitting every monster she encountered.
And finally, she saw the plain and a little figure in the distance that was battling. Yes! I made-
The punch made her fall to the ground. She felt her breath become unsteady again as she realized that a zombie had made its way to her.
It fell to its knees and with a growl, opened his mouth to start chewing at her flank.
Never had Sweetie experienced such pain. It was like electricity was traveling through her whole body, and that a million shards of ice were digging into her wounds.
She screamed and kicked her back legs hard, taking the zombie's head off its body.
Ha! If Applebloom had seen me...
But reality caught up to her as an arrow landed into her shoulder.
The pain... The pain was horrible. She closed her eyes, hoping to be in a better place but the pain remained.
It was it. She was alone this time. No Button. No happiness.
She was just going to die here, tortured by gaming codes and virtual monsters.
I'm sorry Rarity... I'm sorry... Button... You did so much for me and I... I...
Sweetie dared to open her eyes one last time to look in the distance and saw it. At that very moment, the thing was called 'hope'. It was amazing. In the darkness of the night, past the nightmares, pass the glowing eyes and pass the monsters, was light.
The sun... I have a chance! I... "I have a chance!" she screamed, tears coming to her eyes.
She heard a growl behind her and gulped before trying to get up. No way was she going to let that chance pass. Plus, there was a cute idiot that probably needed her help out there.
Sweetie Belle did another attempt to get up and almost did it that time. Just a little more and...
She felt something tug on her mane. Or bite it to be exact.
"Oh no you don't!" she shouted, putting all her strength in her hooves and getting up, turning around violently and forcing the thing to come off. "You shouldn't have messed with the SweetBellSinger!" At those words, the white filly picked up her sword and smashed the zombie's head to pieces, picking up a feather and some rotten flesh.
She then quickly gulped down some meat -that seemed delicious- and ran towards Button.
He was staggering and his movements weren't precise. They were slow.
Sweetie wondered where his sword went when she realized that it probably broke.
Tears came back to her eyes as she truly saw what the brown foal had done for her.
He almost fell while punching a skeleton and she saw three arrows already implanted in his body.
Sweetie Belle tried her best to ignore the pain in her shoulder and especially flank but she still wasn't going very fast.
The sun was slowly but surely rising behind Button.
He threw one last punch at a skeleton and fell to the ground, ignoring the loot that the monster had just dropped.
Sweetie sighted in relief. That seemed to be the last monster and she wasn't that-
Creeper!
The green thing was coming up behind him. No... No! Come on!! Faster... Faster!she begged her legs.
Button turned around and saw it the moment it started flashing its first streak of white. But he didn't move.
Sweetie was only a few hoofsteps away...
Button!
Button collapsed to the floor, feeling weak and sweaty. He couldn't even feel his legs anymore. I just hope there are no more monsters...
Button was looking at the forest and wondering if Sweetie Belle was okay when he heard the grass shift.
He quickly turned around and saw the big, green and imposing form of the most feared creature of Minecraft.
A creeper...
Button didn't move. He just didn't have the strength. The thing was towering down on him.
He powerlessly watched as the thing flashed white a first time, it's expression forming an evil frown.
Button looked past it and saw the orange sun.
Well... At least it's a beautiful way to die with the sunrise in front of me. I should consider myself lucky?
The creeper flashed a second time.
Then, a white figure jumped literally out of nowhere and punched it.
The green monster flew a few feet into the air and exploded.
The power of the deflagration blew Button away and he closed his eyes, feeling the darkness creep over him.
"Oh Celestia... Oh my Celestia! Please no! Please! Please! This can't be happening! You can't die on me like that! You can't! Celestia! Luna! Any pony! Just... some pony! Please help me! Button... Button! BUTTON!"
It's dark here... I don't like it. And it hurts. My body. It really hurts. I just want to be warm... Where is my friend? And my family? I miss them...
Button stopped shivering and looked up. There was a light there. All the way at the end of the black tunnel.
He could see figures of ponies that he loved. And he could feel the warmth. It was really nice. He took a step forward. Then another. The light was sweet and charming.
I want to go there and stay with those ponies. I missed them a lot.
As he got closer, he saw their faces.
Wait... You ponies are all dead! Grandpony? And... great - grand pony? I wonder if Sweetie Belle is here... But he couldn't see her anywhere. Good... That means she survived.
Closer. He was closer than ever. That's when the voice came to his ears.
A sob. And it was getting louder. He could barely make out the words.
Button flinched. I'm sorry Sweetie Belle... But her cries were tearing his heart appart.
Button stopped. Then he turned towards the light and murmured a small "Sorry..." before spinning around and going back into pitch black darkness with a sight.
I promised I wouldn't leave you...
"It's all my fault... Why is it you?! I never did anything for-" Sweetie opened her eyes wide.
Button was looking at her with a puzzled expression.
Sweetie Belle quickly jumped back, letting go of his body that she had held in her hooves. "Don't... Don't tell me you heard that!" she mumbled, cursing the way her cheeks were reddening. And then she realized that he was alive. "Oh Celestia what am I saying?! You're not dead!"
"Of course I'm not... I gave you a promise didn't I? Couldn't just drop it at a few monsters!" he smiled while trying to get up.
"Don't you dare try to move Button Mash!" shouted Sweetie Belle, rushing back to his side. "You're injured because of me! Now, eat this!" she ordered, waving a piece of meat under his nose.
Button ate it up and after a few minutes, felt better. He gave a happy sight as he got up.
"Thanks Sweetie Belle!" he chirped, looking at her. "Just... Why are you blushing?"
"Because you almost died that's why dummy!" she protested, quickly turning around.
Ponies don't blush because of that...
"Anyways, why don't we go back to our treehouse and find a better shelter this time?"
"Good idea!" Sweetie Belle giggled, all her stress becoming nervousness at the thought of adventuring back in the forest.
"So, I was thinking maybe we could mine tonight?" he asked while they were walking in the shadows of the trees.
Sweetie Belle tried to hide her fear. "But its like... You know its dangerous right?"
"Don't worry!" smiled Button, "I'm right here to-"
But Sweetie Belle had heard enough. She spun to him and put a hoof to his lips.
"I've had enough of this Button! I just can't believe you still want to protect me when just a minute ago, you were agonizing on the grass just to save me! I admire your courage, but I don't ever want to see you go off alone again!" she shouted, her voice rising at every word. "How could you just leave me alone in the forest?! You brought out the worst in me! I actually thought about climbing the tree with the blocks that I had gathered and leave you to fight! How could you try and defend the weak and worthless thing that I am? Why are you so... so... " amazing "nice?!"
Button froze. Never had he seen her so mad about something that he thought was natural?
"Hey... I'm... sorry. I really didn't think that you would be that scared. I just couldn't leave you to die. You... You're my very best friend and I couldn't just watch you die in the inside. Getting away from you was a way of protecting you, staying far away from me. I feel like everything that's ever happened so far is all my fault! I can't let anything happen to you!"
The two just stared at each other for a while. Then Sweetie Belle continued walking forward.
Button sighted. Did he hurt her feelings? How could he have been so careless?! Now you've done it Button... You've hurt her again.
Little did her know that Sweetie Belle had turned away from him and started walking because she wanted to hide her tears of joy. All these years I've been so close to some pony special... And I never realized it...
"So... You want to make the shelter here?"
"Yep! It seems well protected and if we put blocks back after we enter, then it'll be even better!" chirped the white filly.
"Yeah but I've noticed something... I feel like creepers and every mob actually are more intelligent. Like they've been updated to a better QI or something."
"Yeah you're right. Now that you mention it, that first spider we attacked didn't wait for us on the roof like it should've done. It was waiting in front of our door. And one of the zombies that I fought punched me first, then bit me..."
"How weird... Well, anyways I think we should get to work. I'm not sure how long the day and night last, but its no more than a good four or five hours."
"We won't ever have enough time to sleep!"
"Beds." simply replied Button, getting his pickaxe out and starting to mine into the mountain.
"Oh yeah right. Then... You want me to go get some wool?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"Sure. And food too. Thanks" Button said with no concern.
Tears came up to Sweetie's eyes and she slowly retreated, holding back her breath so she wouldn't say anything stupid. Why doesn't he care about me anymore?
Button held back his sadness when he heard her walk away. He had decided to keep his distance with her.
I hurt her earlier. And I don't want that to happen again.
The brown colt continued digging in the rock, turning the smooth stone into messed up cobblestone. He reached some iron and coal at some point and smiled. Luck seems to be on our side though!
He stopped about an hour or two later and admired his work.
He had created a tiny cave with torches and the chests. Small windows had been dug and he knew that they could be replaced by glass. Finally, he chopped down more wood and created a sign.
When he was done, he put it above the entrance and smiled, happy to have slipped some humor on what was written on it.
This should cheer her up...
Sweetie Belle had already killed three sheep. One more and we should be able to make two beds after what I saw in the chest...
She didn't even care about hurting them anymore or eating them. Survival had taken over.
"Helper! C'mere!" she called out, looking around.
The white chicken poked its head out from a dirt block and ran to her. Sweetie had decided to name him 'Helper' for she always felt like he could cheer her up in her moments of need.
The chicken seemed to like his name too and had immediately remembered it, coming whenever she called him. The white filly patted him on his blocky head before making her way home.
Surely I'll find sheep on the way there.
She hummed to herself, trying to forget how her friend had acted and saw something move in the trees before her. Sweetie froze as she saw something white agitate the grass.
A skeleton?!
And then... a little wolf jumped out, giving her a cute look. Helper cowered behind her but she curiously walked towards it. The small blocky animal started to growl.
He seems loyal and defending. Plus strong too! He'd be perfect for Button... We can come back later and he'll tame him.
"Let's go Helper!" chirped Sweetie, turning around. The chicken gave a happy cluck and hopped forward, knowing the way home.
Sweetie made it back in about fifteen minutes with all four wools. She approached the place where Button had started digging and gave a little whistle.
"Amazing! The structure seems safe and we still have light inside! Plus there's an iron door! That means zombies can't get in and that Button found iron!" she said to herself out loud.
Then she trotted to it and was about to pull the lever when she noticed a sign on top of the door :
Home to 2 survivors! Ps : Really miss my hat :(
Sweetie Belle first just stared at it with a blank expression... then burst out laughing.
Button came out and smiled. "I really do miss it you know! It was SOOO cool!"
"I... I can see that!" squeaked Sweetie.
"Ready to mine?!" he said with a defying expression.
Sweetie Belle almost jumped to the sky. He had forgiven her!
Button gulped. She was going to kill him. "I... Uh... Your chicken... I forgot that your chicken was here and... I left the door open?"
Sweetie Belle sharply turned her head to him. "What?"
"It was an accident! I swear! I'm so sorry! But I also think you should've given him food...? Maybe animals need it?"
"That's out of the question!" exclaimed Sweetie, her shout echoing through the cave. "You let my pet out! And it's starting to become nighttime!"
"Sorry..." Button winced, feeling terrible. I never liked that thing and she's going to think I let it out on purpose! "I liked your chicken though!" he said, not realizing he was just making things worse.
"Did you name him?" asked Button, uncomfortable. "You know he won't-"
A little head appeared at the window. "Cluck!"
Sweetie Belle rushed to him, squeezing him in a tight embrace.
"Oh good you found him!" said Button, trying to sound enthusiastic.
"Please... Please be careful!" Sweetie's whimpering tone surprised the brown colt. "He's... He's like the only animal that doesn't bite, peck, scratch or hiss at me... I really want to keep him..."
Lesson Learned!
"I would never try to get rid of something you cherish so much..." smiled Button.
"Yeah... I know. By the way, I just saw a baby wolf on the edge of the forest. I think he'd be a perfect pet."
"Really?!" Button's eyes lit up. "I've never had a real dog before! Let's go get it now! You cover me!"
"What?! Excuse me?! Come back!" yelled Sweetie Belle, quickly grabbing her sword and rushing out behind Button. "Why am I the one covering you?"
"Because you have the iron sword!"
"About that... Why did you give me the strongest sword? I'm not the weakest!" she protested, still following him through the dying light of the sun.
But mentally you are... "Oh I just picked you because... y'know... I don't know... Because... That! The dog! It's here!" he finished by screaming hysterically, not wanting to tell her the truth for he'd be dead.
Sweetie Belle just threw him a suspicious look and scanned the area, ready to fight.
Button approached the little thing that started to growl. "Hey buddy! I'm nice... I promise..." murmured Button, showing the little canine a bone. "Here you go!" He threw it to the wolf's feet and the thing started to sniff it... then rejected it. "Oh... Okay! You want another one? Here!"
Sweetie on the other hoof was starting to get annoyed and... was that boredom?
I need to be stronger... I have to train and be able to protect Button...
She saw a skeleton nearby and jumped at it, slicing it's bones until it disappeared. Then a zombie spawned at a few hoofsteps.
Sweetie Belle sliced it's arm off before seeing it's mouth slowly open to let out a growl. She immediately cut its head off and easily sliced through the rest.
Mental note : take the weapons that the monsters have away before they can hit you. Cut zombies heads off. Slice skeletons arms where the bows are. Separate the head from the body off the spider and try cutting off legs. Uh... Maybe slice Endermens legs off?
Her thoughts distracted her for a moment and the next thing she knew, Button was proudly trotting to her with a dog. His big puppy eyes were wide open and he had a rose-red collar.
"I'll try and change his collar to black if I see a squid" said Button.
"Right. I wanted to tell you that I found a new technic to kill monsters..."
Sweetie Belle told Button while they were walking back to their shelter.
"Great job! That's obviously going to be easier..."
Sweetie smiled, then scolded herself. Stop beating idiot heart! Button is a clumsy, pranking... protective... nice... adorab- Ugh! What am I saying?! I'm not a baby anymore! Stupid, stupid!
"So what do you reckon I should name him?" asked Button, turning to her and closing the door behind them.
Sweetie Belle immediately stopped banging her head on the hard stones and sheepishly smiled. "I don't know..."
Button watched a little bit of blood trickle down her forehead. "You got a bit of-"
"No I don't! Let's go mining!" quickly said the white filly.
Sweetie Belle started to make a staircase that went deeper into the ground.
Button shrugged. I'll never understand fillies...
"Hey look!" her excited yelp caught his attention. "Iron! And I think there's more coal behind it!"
"Great! I'll bring the furnace" replied Button.
Wow... Maybe this time luck is on our side!
Button trotted over to the crafting table and made six additional pickaxes while cooking the meat he had collected.
Sweetie Belle came back up dusty and cheerful. "What's taking so long?! You said that the furnace would be coming!"
"Yeah yeah it is! Just preparing..." Then Button turned around and Sweetie Belle had the time to hear him mutter 'I swear to Celestia she's getting bossier by the minute...'
"Heard that!"
"Heard what? I didn't say anything else than : 'I swear to Celestia she's getting greater by the minute!'" he mocked while giving her a slight bow.
"Stupid!"
Sweetie Belle jumped back in her staircase and continued digging. She went through two pickaxes before feeling... weird. It was as if she was getting exhausted by the second.
Her pickaxe fell to the floor and while doing so, it accidentally mined through the block under her. She immediately fell through it and landed about two or three blocks down in a cave.
Sweetie Belle could hear creepy noises and the sound of monsters.
By that point, she could barely move. What's happening to me?! Why am I so tired...? Maybe I should just nap here... It's gonna be just a little snooze... nothing serious!
Her eyes started to close themselves.
A growl brought her back to reality. She tried to open her eyes again but once they were closed, sleep was taking over.
No! Why am I so exhausted...? And why did it happen so fast?!
Red eyes appeared at the corner of the dark cave.
Button... Where are... you...
"Okey Helper! Got a few seeds for you!" Button's chirp surprised the chicken as he quickly entered the house. "So... Friends now eh?"
The foal gave him a shaky smile while shyly showing the chicken bright green seeds.
The chicken squinted its eyes and took a step forward towards the food, suspiciously eying the colt... before jumping at him and snatching the goods out of his hoof, scaring the life out of Button.
"Mother of Celestia! Do NOT do that again dude! Scared the hell out of me... Phew... Okay... I'm fine now... I'm good..." said Button, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "Hey Sweetie Belle!" he shouted, peeking above the dark staircase that she had made. "I tried to make friends with your thing but it just hates me!"
A creepy silence answered him.
"Uh... Sweetie Belle?"
Maybe she went in a cave or something... The stupid filly! It's dangerous!
Button sighted and slowly picked up his sword and food.
Then he ventured down her path, occasionally placing torches.
Then, a growl. It was coming from strait under him...
"Sweetie Belle...?" called Button, now getting an uncomfortable feeling.
His pace started to quicken as he continued down the staircase... before falling strait through a hole.
"Ow..." he mumbled, getting up and placing a torch on the floor. "Hey Sweetie you the-"
Button's eyes started to widen.
There, lying on the floor was a bloody mass. He could see openings in the fur and rips on the coat.
The once delicate white coat of Sweetie Belle was now covered in blood. Bite marks everywhere...
A zombie turned around and stared at him with lifeless eyes. It's mouth was bloody and chunks of meat were hanging from them.
"Is that..." Button murmured out loud, "Is that Sweetie Belle's skin...?"
The brown colt turned to throw up.
Then he realized that Sweetie Belle wasn't moving.
Oh no... Oh no no no no no! Please be alive!
He quickly sliced the zombie into pieces, his eyes focused on the filly laying unconscious on the floor.
Well... He hoped she was only unconscious...
"Sweetie Belle... I'm here..." Button pressed a hoof against her cheek before bringing some meat out. "Eat... Please eat!"
I'm so weak... Look at me whimpering and doing absolutely nothing to save her. I can't see her die... I just can't!
He opened her mouth, feeling like he was doing a bad thing and stuffed some meat inside her. "Sweetie Belle! Can you hear me? I need you to swallow!"
A faint nod was his only answer as she gulped down a bit of the meat, immediately finding more strength to eat up the rest.
"I'll help you get up..."
Button gently took her and wrapped a hoof around her back, making sure she was as carried as possible. From there he could see some of her bloody wounds closing up... But she still couldn't open her eyes...
It took Button at least an hour to get her all the way back up to the cave...
"Sweetie Belle...?" Button laid her on the bed and nuzzled her mane affectionately. "You're safe now. You... You can open your eyes you know?"
"So... tired..." Was all he got so he pulled up the covers from the bed and tucked her in.
She's fine Button... She won't see the tunnel... She's just tired...
Button decided to try and sleep too. He patted the bed and his dog jumped on it, giving him a bit of warmth. It rolled up in a ball and probably fell asleep in the next minute.
Button was happy that the dog and that chicken were with him finally... The brown colt turned to look at the still bloody but peaceful sleeping filly lying in the bed next to his.
The chicken had laid down next to her mane, making himself a nest in it.
Button couldn't sleep. He was thinking... thinking about his family, friends and... also about GameSpark. The creator of the mess they had fallen in probably figured out what happened. So why hasn't he come to rescue them?
The brown foal shook his head. Too many questions with no answers were going to keep him awake...
Then he looked back at Sweetie Belle. Her left hoof was sticking out of the bed.
Button came to a decision and, trying to ignore the furious blush that was taking over, he took her hoof and closed his eyes...
First of all, there was the panic. The panic of discovering you awoke covered in blood.
Sweetie Belle shot up, her fear rising every second as she recalled what had happened last night.
The pain. The pain of being torn apart and tortured by your enemies.
Then the fear. The fear that you'll die alone in that dark cave where no pony will ever find you.
And at the very last moments, despair. You think about everything you hadn't accomplished. Every pony that had been nice to you.
Sweetie Belle felt a sharp pain on her right hoof and quickly turned, ready to face the threat.
A white chicken was angrily staring at her, his feathers were ruffled and he seemed sleepy.
"Cluck!"
Sweetie Belle frowned then realized she must have disrupted his sleep.
"Sorry little buddy..." She patted his head before turning back the other way.
The sun was slowly rising outside and she could make out a few monsters burning in the distance.
Her attention focused on her left hoof... It seemed very... warm.
Sweetie Belle looked past it and saw Button's hoof dangling from his bed right next to hers.
Her eyebrows arched just before she realized that he had held her hoof all night.
She felt herself blush and a small smile appeared on her lips.
I wonder if I should wake him up?
But then she saw how peaceful he looked. I can ask him what happened later on...
Sweetie got up and displayed a few torches around the room, making sure they were safe and then proceeded to cooking breakfast.
She picked out a few pieces of raw meat and walked to the furnace before stopping.
There, next to a very grumpy looking Helper laid and egg.
Sweetie Belle's eyes widened as she got an idea. "Hey Helper! Heeeey! Soooo... You gonna use that egg or can I have it?"
She crawled towards it and tilted her head towards him. The chicken just walked away, uninterested.
Yes!
"Thanks Helper!" She picked it up and, addressing a silent prayer to Celestia, cracked it open.
A yellowish substance poured out of it. She quickly put it on top of the furnace, therefor making it sizzle.
An even greater idea popped up in her head as she put slices of bacon in the fire.
After that, she opened the chests and picked out two apples. Perfect!
Button's nose twitched. Wow... The smell... The delicious smell!
Was he back home? It just smelt like breakfast... A normal and sweet breakfast that his mom would make him.
Button opened one eye and then the other... before sighting.
No... He was still stuck in his once favorite game with Sweetie Belle.
Button got out of bed and rubbed his eyes before looking around.
Sweetie Belle was humming a nice tune while preparing food. She had created some stairs that apparently served as chairs and had put two nice blocks of wood in the middle, making a nice table.
Her face lightened up as she saw Button walk towards her. "Hey Button! Sleep well?"
That scene could have been normal. The sun rising, his friend making breakfast and greeting him... It could have all looked normal if Sweetie Belle wasn't covered in dried blood.
Button cringed a bit as he remembered what had happened the night before.
"Yeah thanks. And... And you?"
Sweetie Belle smiled. "Yeah. Thanks." She didn't seem to recall what he tried to talk about so he didn't push it.
"I wouldn't have just let you die down there... You're a very valuable pony to me..." Button suddenly blushed at what he had just said. I thought I had said it in my head! "S... Sorry! I mean... uh nice food!"
Sweetie Belle tried to hide her blush too as she turned away, showing him the meal. "Bacon and eggs for breakfast! Plus a side of apple cider!"
"Wow... I didn't know that you could actually get something out of the eggs in minecraft!"
"Well, I tried since we discovered that GameSpark had added a few more features and... ta-daaaa!"
"For once I'm actually thankful towards that stallion..."
Button sat down and started eating, soon followed by the white filly.
He closed his eyes in satisfaction as he felt the sweet taste of food go down his throat.
That's when a little nose started sniffing about next to him. Button opened his eyes in surprise and looked at the little black muzzle sticking out from the 'table'.
Giant puppy eyes stared at him and Button was overwhelmed with the 'cuteness syndrome'.
"Awwww! Look at him! Wanna give him food?" Sweetie Belle's murmur indicated that she was contaminated too.
"Sure. Here... Uh buddy?"
Button threw a tiny peace of bacon at the animal that played with it a bit, running in circles and throwing it in the air before catching it again.
At some point, it landed strait in front of the beak of Helper that picked it up before the eyes of two amused foals.
The dog barked and a small chase engaged in which the dog finally won.
The distraction that they caused was welcome as Sweetie Belle and Button laughed.
"So what are you gonna name him?"
Button remembered how the little thing had chased the chicken and piece of bacon around. "I say... Chaser?"
"Sounds like a fitting name!"
"Cool! Okay! Chaser! Come here! Yes you! That's your name now!"
The small dog approached Button and let himself be patted on the head.
"And again 'awww!'" chuckled Sweetie Belle.
Helper jumped on her laps and gave her a small peck. "Yes you too little guy!"
"I've been wondering... How do you know that it's a boy?"
Sweetie raised her eyebrows. "I just assumed. I have no idea how you know it for animals!"
"Me neither actually... But like we're in minecraft, I guess the gender we pick becomes the gender of the animal..."
"Probably."
Button went back to finishing his half of the egg. It was weird drinking apple cider. It wasn't very sweet to begin with and second of all, they didn't need liquids in minecraft! Only food mattered... So he had no idea wether drinking it was beneficial.
"Alright...Our goal is to find a village. But I was thinking... What if that doesn't work? What's going to happen then?" Sweetie's voice made him jump.
"As I said, stop being negative."
"Yeah sorry. So what's on the agenda today?" She asked, still stroking Helper who had closed his eyes in satisfaction.
"Let's see...Maybe mine more? Just to get a good weaponry and armor for our 'journey'."
The word mine made Sweetie Belle remember what had happened that night. "You saved me again didn't you?"
Her question surprised Button and reminded him of the previous attack. "Uh... Yeah. And what exactly happened?"
"I... I don't know..." Sweetie Belle seemed troubled. "I just felt really tired all of a sudden... And then I couldn't feel my legs anymore... And I really wanted to sleep so bad! All that in a matter of seconds!"
"Wow... That's weird! Maybe it's because you didn't sleep and all your energy was waisted? That would explain your violent descent to dream land!" mocked Button.
"Then why didn't that happen to you?" Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes.
"Well... I don't mean to be sexist or anything buuuuut... I am a colt!"
A silence took place as Sweetie's expression turned blank. Then : "That is sexist."
"No it isn't!"
"You just said so yourself!"
"Uh... Maybe?"
Their eyes shimmered and they both smiled.
"Phew! Okay I propose we go get you cleaned up first and then we go mining... together."
"Heh... Won't forget you this time!" The white filly gave Button an embarrassed smile.
Just at that moment, a big rumble echoed through the cave. The walls started to shake and the door swung open.
Helper jumped from Sweetie's laps and ran around the cave, giving frightened clucks soon followed by Chaser who gave scared yelps.
Button stood up, almost falling to the floor as the ground became unstable.
"What's happening?" Sweetie Belle screamed to cover the noise.
"I don't know!" Button shakily grabbed his sword and followed Sweetie Belle out of the house.
Suddenly, it all stopped, leaving a ringing in their ears. The two friends looked at each other, confused.
"Was that an earthquake?"
"No ide-"
Button couldn't finish his sentence for something appeared in the sky.
There, written in giant big orange letters were the words :
"Wha... What does that mean?!" stupidly asked Sweetie Belle staring up.
"Well I'm guessing it means somepony updated the game. Just a hint here..." sarcastically said Button, rolling his eyes.
"Shut up... Did somepony update your game just like that?! But... Why would they do that if you're missing?" exclaimed Sweetie Belle.
"I... I really don't know..." murmured Button, confused. "The real question would be who updated it."
The message in the sky disappeared.
"But... Did you turn on automatic updates or something?" insisted Sweetie, tilting her head.
"I don't think you can do that on minecraft..." Button rubbed his sore neck. "And I don't remember doing it anyways."
"That's so weird..."
Button just shrugged it off. "I think that we should probably worry more about what was in that update..."
"You're right. But I don't think we'll figure anything out before we see more changes."
"Probably. I propose we just continue our day. Let's go mining!" he cheerfully said to push away the weight in his stomach.
"Yeah, okay..." she reluctantly muttered.
Sweetie Belle followed Button through the entrance, picking up Helper while she was at it and reassuring him. Chaser seemed perfectly fine and happy, for he was munching on the leftover bacon that had fallen to the floor. Button patted his head with a smile.
"Now, let's go down the cave you were in yesterday. We can start mining from there" he said, starting to descend in the dark staircase.
"Sure." Sweetie followed behind. "I say we make a plan. Like you protect and I mine or vice versa."
"That could work. Like that we don't have to worry about watching our backs. You mind if I defend?"
"Nope I'm good with mining!" Then she grinned and flashed him a teasing smile : "I have such good ideas." Button rolled his eyes for the second time, half amused, half exasperated. They arrived in the cave and Sweetie Belle put down some torches, trying to ignore the dried puddle of blood - her blood - that was lying on the floor. That reminded her that she needed a wash. The blood she was covered in wasn't going to disappear by itself...
They were mining for a few minutes now, going deeper and deeper, when Sweetie Belle noticed some lava once she had dug out some gravel.
"Hey Button! There's a crevasse here! Plus there's lava... I bet the ores down there are great!" she exclaimed, already making a staircase going down.
"Okay wait up!" Button came running by her side. He still had a spider wound in his back leg that was slowly closing from his last battle.
Sweetie Belle could see lots of iron down there. And some redstone. Redstone usually means diamond!
There was some coal too that they could use to make torches and cook thin-
Sweetie Belle fell. She had been so excited about the goods under that she hadn't been focusing on where she was mining. Her pickaxe had hit a stone block that was under her, therefor making her fall strait through it again.
She saw lava under her hooves and let out a piercing scream... that stopped when a brown hoof grabbed onto hers just at the right moment.
Sweetie Belle lifted her gaze and saw Button that was gripping onto her. His whole body was dangling from the edge, and he was only holding on by his back hooves. He had planted his sword in the stone and had wrapped said hooves around it.
"B... Button! Careful!"
"You're..." Button mumbled trough gritted teeth, "You're the one dangling above lava!"
He was closing his eyes in effort and the heat from the burning lava underneath them was making his hooves sweaty. The fear of letting her go blocked his mind for a few seconds.
"What are we going to do?" Sweetie's panicked voice made him open his eyes. Her hooves were slipping fast.
He looked at her and she looked back. Her eyes were more bubbly and big than usual. He could see his own fear plus hers reflected in her eyes.
I definitely don't like that look... he thought before making a decision.
Button swung her towards the wall as hard as he could and she bounced off it, letting go of his hooves and flying in the air. His original plan was that she be propelled back and land a few hoofsteps away from the danger. But it didn't go quite as he pictured it in his mind. Button gasped in horror when he saw that she was falling strait towards the lava. The burning puddle had been larger than he thought and she was plummeting down.
"Sweetie Belle!"
She fell hard and was illuminated in red. Her hind hooves were dipping in the lava.
She screamed and moved around. Her body was flashing red more and more.
"Get out! Move!"
With the last of her strength, she crawled forward and escaped the flaming prison. Guilt overtook Button as he saw her panting in effort and grabbing some meat from her inventory. Her back hooves were black and her fur still on fire. He realised he had let her burn alive.
"Oh Celestia..." he murmured, still dangling over the edge. "I... I'm so sorry..."
"It's.. fine," she murmured. "I would have fell strait into the whole thing if you hadn't had done that!" Button clearly saw she was trying to sound optimistic but her gritted teeth signified the contrary.
He was still feeling horrible even after Sweetie had healed and they had safely blocked the lava.
"I said it's fine Button! I already told you it was my fault for not paying attention. You saved me... again again!" she groaned.
"I hurt you..." winced Button for the hundredth time.
Sweetie felt heartbroken. It was her fault! How could he feel responsible? She had to find some way to make him feel better and fast.
"Hey um... It's... It's cool okay?" Sweetie Belle got closer to him and awkwardly hugged him.
Button's mouth gapped open and he felt really embarrassed. "Th... Thanks! I needed that..."
He weirdly patted her back, not knowing what to do and gave her a big smile. "Friends?"
Sweetie Belle smiled back. "Friends!"
Then they both looked away and their smile wavered as they thought the exact same thing. Friends...
Real World. Button's home.
The room was dark. It was all dull and sad. The clock in the living room was slowly ticking.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
Outside, it was pouring rain and a storm was growling. Rain was violently tapping against the window. The wind was strong and was shaking the small house.
In the middle of all that, a mare.
You could see she was once beautiful. But now, with her messed up brown mane and coat. With her sad eyes and black circles. With her shaking hooves that were holding a now cold cup of tea...
Now she looked terrible.
She was sitting on the couch, tears in her bright blue eyes as she trembled.
A stallion walked in and sat down next to her. "Honey... I... I hope you thought about what I told you..." he mumbled.
The mare looked up. "Yes I have..." she murmured in the faintest of voices.
The stallion felt tears come up. "You... You're okay with it?"
"Yes... I... It's been three months since he left with her... I'm sure he had a good reason to..."
"That means we have to move on..."
The mare closed her eyes. "Yes we do..."
"So, we're going to get rid of all his things right? I believe it's the only way to..." his voice died down in his throat. "I don't want you to go into depression. I already lost my mother like that and I shall not loose my wife."
"My baby... My poor baby! He wouldn't want us to get rid of his belongings... If... If ever he come back he'll think we forgot him!"
"Listen honey..." The stallion wrapped her in a tight hug. "Button and Sweetie Belle are gone. The guards didn't find anything! Nothing that indicates where they're gone or why they left. And you haven't been eating lately! I'm worried about your mental state... If Button and Sweetie Belle left for three months and still didn't write or something, then it definitely means they're not coming back. And I believe that the only way to help is to forget them for now. It's a hard thing to say but for a start we should get rid of his stuff..."
Button's mother looked up and slowly nodded. "Okay... We... We can sell them tomorrow..."
"And... What about Button's computer?"
The mare didn't say anything for a moment. A long silence made its way through them. Then :
"D... Diamond!!" Sweetie's chirp made Button jump.
"Seriously?!"
"Yes!! Yes!!"
Button ran to her and saw the shimmering blue ore. "Great! How many pieces?"
Sweetie Belle mined away with the iron pickaxe they had crafted earlier that day - or night.
"Jackpot! We got nine!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down.
"Nine?! How is that even possible?"
"Who cares?! We have them!" Sweetie Belle then turned to him. "What should we make with them?"
Button thought about it for a moment. "I think we should make a pickaxe. And... An enchanting table. And then two swords!"
"That'll leave us plenty of diamonds!"
"So it's settled?"
"Totally! We can decide what to do with the others later!"
Sweetie Belle gave him a big smile that he replied to and they walked back to where they had come from.
Their adventure in the depths of minecraft had been long, hard and deep.
They had gone down to bedrock and the hike back would be hard...
Button stayed behind Sweetie Belle, making sure she wasn't going to fall and that he could eventually make a good pillow if ever she did.
A hiss was heard and Button turned then fired an arrow in the distance.
A red spider-shaped light appeared at a few blocks as the spider opened its eyes.
Button felt another arrow go pass him and kill the thing.
Sweetie Belle and him had crafted bows in the meantime.
The white filly was not a very good shot but Button had gotten the hang of it. Celestia damm! I feel like those things are getting smarter and smarter! That stupid spider closed its eyes so it wouldn't be noticed! Gotta be careful about what was in that update... thought Button, continuing forward.
"Zombie to the left!"
Button blindly sliced his sword in the indicated direction and heard the sound of a wounded zombie.
It was funny the complicity that they had formed in just a few days... Button would give his life for her and she knew it.
Sweetie Belle would always be there for him and he knew it.
They had formed a survival group, a team of two ponies that wanted to live in a world where they weren't meant to be in. We're so close now...
Button was so caught up in his (happy...?) thoughts that he didn't see the slime coming.
The thing jumped on him and swallowed him whole. Button started to gag, stuck in the gelatin-like substance and unable to move an inch.
Sweetie Belle turned and fired three arrows that dug into the green slime. One of the arrows stopped a few inches away from Button's eye, deeply stuck in the mushy stuff.
Button was running out of breath now and black spots were appearing in front of his eyes.
Sweetie Belle finally gave up on shooting the slime when she saw the brown colt flash red.
She levitated her sword out and threw it directly in the thing's mouth, hoping it'll kill it.
Thankfully for her - and Button - the slime disappeared and the foal fell to the floor, gasping for breath.
"Button!" Sweetie Belle rushed to his side. "Are you okay?"
The weakened foal tried to get up but found his legs wobbly and fell back.
That's when Sweetie Belle heard hoof steps. A lot of hoof steps.
"This is baaaaad... Button! Let's go now! You have to get up!"
The panic in the filly's voice was apparently enough to give Button some strength and get up. He slowly followed her, desperately trying harder to go fast.
Sweetie Belle could now see their attackers - zombies. Why does it always have to be zombies?! she silently winced, running in place.
"Button... We may have to be a teensy tiny really puny bit faster here..." she mumbled, trying to push him forward.
Button looked behind them and fear paralyzed him.
"Button! Now is not the time! I mean I know there are lots of zombies that are dying to eat us alive in great pain and stuff but that is more than a valuable excuse to get out of here! There are only like... uh..." Sweetie squinted her eyes and tried to sound optimistic. "Fifty...? Or maybe the sixty?"
Button didn't move any more than he did before.
I'm probably not helping...
Sweetie Belle sighted and lifted Button on her back, shaking from the huge amount of sudden weight. "Okay... It's just until you can walk again..."
She slowly made her way up panting under the effort.
She could see a little light up ahead, meaning the exit was close. Sweetie couldn't resist the urge she had...
The white filly turned around at the huge mass of zombies and shouted :
"We're out idiots!"
She grinned and spun around... Her smile disappeared. No way...
Zombies. Zombies everywhere. They were approaching them, blocking the entrance.
Sweetie saw her hopes disappear at the same time the outside light did, blocked off by the undead... She looked around for an exit and saw one on the side.
It was a dark part of the cave that they hadn't explored yet. I don't have a choice anyway...
She continued to her left but soon realized that Button was too heavy for her. "Button!" she winced. "You have to walk! Please listen to my voice! Why are you so traumatized about something swallowing you?!"
That seemed to have effect on the foal as he gave a slight nod before sliding off her back. She gently pushed him forward into the darkness.
Ugh... I can't see anything... The growls from the zombies were still there.
At least they're not gaining on us!
She had spoken too soon. They arrived in front of a huge dark pit. She couldn't even see the bottom.
There was no other exit and she had used up her pickaxe. "Ohhh Button!"
The mobs were getting even closer, their aggressive growls matching their evil eyes.
"Please... Please find something... I won't let you down! But please don't leave me!" Her scream echoed through the small cave.
Button seemed to snap out of his trance and blinked. "I'm... not going anywhere."
"Oh thank Celestia! Now! Use your brain and get us out of here!" she urged him to get up.
Button scrambled to his hooves, making a few pieces of gravel fall into the pit.
A few splashes were heard above the ruckus.
Button didn't think, he just acted.
He grabbed firmly but gently onto Sweetie's hoof, making her blush a deep red in surprise. Button ignored the warmth of her body and jumped, pulling her in.
Sweetie Belle popped her head out of the water, gasping for breath. She shook her head and attempted to crawl out, feeling numb.
The fall had been long and had ended with a big, hard splash.
Sweetie Belle was sure she had flashed red.
She painfully swam to the shore, panting and finally made it out before collapsing in exhaustion. Sweetie found the strength to lift up her head and saw dozens of heads popping out from all the way above them. Speaking of them...
Sweetie stood up and looked around, feeling panic arouse in her chest. "Button...?!"
"Yeah I'm here..." a weak voice answered her from the other side of the pit.
"Thank Celestia! You healing?"
"Yep. I'll swim to you give me a minute..."
Sweetie nodded then realized that he probably couldn't see her since she couldn't even see her own hooves in the darkness. "Okay..."
The minute went by very slowly until she heard the water move. "Alright I'm coming, I'll help you up..." she said, sticking her hoof in the dark water.
"What?!" the voice came from farther away than the noise of the water. "I'm not even in the water yet!"
"Huh???!"
Sweetie Belle quickly put her hoof out of the water and gasped. "B... But what's swimming down there?!"
A silence followed her words as they both listened. The water was splashing about.
"B... Button...?"
"Do you have torches?" His calm voice reassured her as she checked her inventory / pockets.
"Uh y... yeah...
Sweetie shakily took out a torch and placed it on the floor. It gave a shaky light and Sweetie Belle smiled.
She had forgotten how much she missed the light.
The white filly then turned to Button that she could barely see over the seven or eight blocks of water.
He was inspecting the waters.
Sweetie Belle was about to ask how he was doing when something jumped out of the water.
They both screamed and quickly retreated back.
The thing had a fin. And was gray. And we mustn't forget the big sharp teeth...
"A... A shark?!" yelled Sweetie, panicking.
"Wait... That's impossible! The new update can't contain sharks!"
"Well can you explain what that was?!"
"I... It looks like something from a mod... You know like animals plus or something..."
A sickening silence came in. Then : "HUUUUUUUUH??!"
"Just an assumption!"
"You're kidding! How could some pony install a mod in your computer?! That's surreal!"
Button shrugged. "Maybe... Maybe... Ugh... I actually have no idea..."
"This is unacceptable Button! You don't think your mother would do that right...?"
"No..."
Sweetie Belle sighted. "How are we getting out now? I can't even get to you!"
"We can... we can mine!"
"I don't have my pickaxe..."
Button frowned. "Then... You have a crafting table?"
Sweetie shook her head and the brown foal grunted. "Then I'm short for ideas..." He sat down and put his hooves over his ears, sign that he was trying to concentrate.
The sight of his hooves made Sweetie Belle remember when they had jumped. She smiled at the memory of him unexpectedly grabbing her hoof and pulling her out of harm's way.
You're such a brave colt... It's amazing really... How did I never notice that before?
Button interrupted her thoughts by suddenly jumping up and screaming : "Chaaaaaaser!"
A few seconds later, the young pup appeared out of nowhere, wagging his tail at the sight of his master. "Good boy!"
"How did you know he'd come?" Sweetie Belle said, raising an eyebrow.
"I didn't."
So brave...
"Okay, here's the plan! We're all going to jump in the water and get that thing!"
"Waaaa?!" Too brave! "But... It's so dark!"
"If you don't want to do it, only Chaser and I will don't worry!"
Sweetie Belle frowned. "As if! I'm so helping! Ready to do this?!"
Button gave a small smile and squinted his eyes. "Let's do it!"
He jumped first followed by his dog and the white filly.
His vision was limited under water for it was dark.
He slashed his sword around blindly and felt like he hit something... right before a giant set of teeth sunk into his hind leg, pulling him deeper into the depths of the cave water.
Button felt very weak. His last thought was : Why aren't you in salt water idiot?
Sweetie Belle on the other hoof, saw red up ahead. She swam towards it and saw brown fur flashing. You're not taking MY Button away!
She felt her air reserves go down but bravely continued to follow the shark deep.
Finally she managed to grab onto Button's hoof and pulled upwards with all her strength.
At last, she was out and breathing in the damp cave air. Button was struggling to swim back to the shore so she helped him up, gently applying some weight on his stomach incase he needed water to come out.
"Alright Button! I think we kinda messed up there..."
The foal laughed but then chocked a bit. Sweetie Belle felt herself blush for no reason as she saw him open wide his mouth and let out the joyful sound of laughter. They were so close and in such an awkward position - her holding him down, a hoof on his stomach and him not caring about it at all and simply laughing at what she had just said. Times change...
"I think we should get going. I can make a crafting table with the wood in my inventory. Could you make a pickaxe from there?" asked Button, getting up.
"Oh sure!"
In a few minutes they had done that and Sweetie was about to dig the pick in the first block when Button suddenly jumped in the water.
"Uh..." muttered the white filly, turning around and seeing there was no pony there. "Huuuuuh?! Button!"
He emerged out of the water and quickly crawled back to her, holding a white, furry animal in his arms.
"You could have called me!"
Her anger died down as she saw a tear slip from Button's eye. "Chaser... Please..."
"Steak! Now!" yelled Sweetie, throwing the meat strait in the foal's face in her precipitation.
Button fed it to the little dog that seemed to move a bit. The brown colt stood up, shocked. "B... But I thought he was dead! He was just there in the water, flashing red!"
"Well, Doctor Sweetie Belle helped so he's fine now!" nervously laughed the filly, glad that the pup was okay.
"Let's go back up..."
Button seemed different. A pang of jealousy shot through Sweetie's heart. Was he more worried about that little dog dying than her?
The white filly then shook her head. Jealousy was not needed right now.
They started to mine upwards, creating a small staircase and going around caves and other dangerous places.
Button was feeling horrible. I don't understand anything anymore! This game is driving me crazy... We don't even have any clues about going out. Every single day is another moment where death is just around the corner. Our luck will run out pretty soon... And why am I so stupid...?! I just risked Sweetie Belle's life by trying to be a hero again! The one thing I am certain about our luck, is that I have her. And even though we're nothing but friends, I enjoy being in her company... A tear rolled down Button's cheek and he quickly wiped it.
"Hey Button...?"
"Yeah?" answered the brown colt, resuming his mining.
"Do you mind if I ask you why you were um... kinda weird after that slime swallowed you...?" hesitated Sweetie, placing another torch on the wall.
"It's... It's a long story!"
Sweetie sighted as she looked down. "We have a long time ahead of us!"
"Okay then..."
5 years ago Button's home
"Mooooom!" a little brown foal came trotting out of the kitchen. "Hungry!"
"You'll just have to wait for dinner honey. It's in barely an hour..."
The foal frowned and a rebellious expression appeared on his face. "I'm not waiting that long..." muttered the colt, marching up to his room.
He laid on the bed and wondered what to do... That's when he got an idea.
"I'm just gonna have to sneak out and buy something myself just like a real adventurer!" A mischievous grin formed on his face as he slowly opened his window before peeking out. "Okay Button... You can do this! Just... Just jump and land on that tree over there!"
The tree was quite far away and after reflecting on it, Button decided that it probably was a bad idea. He was about to give up when a pink pony pulling a cart with a giant cubic mass of gooey thing came jumping over.
Button smiled. If he was lucky, she was going to pass strait under him and he could jump down and not even hurt himself!
"Ohhh I just can't wait! Rarity is gonna be soooooo happy with her gelatin giant diamond shaped cake!" the pink pony chirped to herself. "Just gotta finish sculpting it at Sugar Cube Corner and I'm done!"
Button jumped.
Big mistake. He didn't know that he would land strait into the substance. He just thought that he'd simply bounce off it.
And now there he was, stuck in the cyan cube prison. The pony pulling the cart wasn't turning around.
And Button was suffocating. He couldn't move or breathe and couldn't even cry for help.
The pony was humming. He could barely hear her but a slight sound came to his frozen ears.
I can't die like this! It's so frustrating!
Things began to waver in front of the colt's eyes and he felt light headed. I'm falling... It's... It's all black...
"After that I fainted. Apparently, my mother came out at the right moment and literally teared apart the thing to get me back. That's where my fear came from."
Sweetie Belle continued to walk forward in silence. Then : "I'm really sorry for asking..."
"Meh it's fine! It happened a long time ag-"
Button was cut off by a rumbling sound. The walls stared to shake just as he dug out the last block and as natural sunlight poured out.
"I... I..." Button collapsed to the floor. "I have no idea!" He hated that feeling, the feeling of not knowing what was happening.
"H... Helper! I need to go find Helper!" mumbled Sweetie, attempting to make her way towards the forest. A tree fell at a few hoofsteps, causing the ground to crack.
"But... Minecraft doesn't allow that!"
Button ran to her side and pulled her back into the small hole that they had made to get out. "It's too dangerous! I'm sure he's fine!"
"I hope so..." she gloomily murmured, feeling extremely anxious.
They both stayed there for what seemed like hours, patiently waiting for the rumbling to stop.
In the end, it was only a few minutes (they had crafted a watch in the meantime) and Button dug his way out once the last rumble had passed.
A terrifying scene was awaiting them. Trees had fallen everywhere. The ground was cracked. Dead animals squashed under the debris.
Sweetie Belle let out a cry and ran forward to where their house was.
"Sweetie! Wait up!" yelled Button, running after her.
He followed her through the carcasses of animals and even monsters for about a minute.
She finally stopped in front of their cave. It had been completely destroyed.
The door was tiny and floating an inch above the ground, broken by the rocks that had fallen onto it.
"No..." Sweetie's whimper made Button jump as he was lost in his thoughts. "H... Helper? Helper!"
She ran to the rocks and started to dig away. Button shook himself and helped.
They mined and mined and mined through the hard and solid barrier until finally : "I... I can see something! It's... It's..."
Sweetie's voice died down.
"What...? What is it?! Are you okay?" urged Button.
"It's red."
Button felt light headed and gently pushed her aside. "Let me go in okay?"
She simply nodded, tears already forming in her eyes.
The brown colt painfully crawled into the small entrance she had made and found himself in complete darkness.
His eyes were gently adjusting as he placed a torch.
Relief came up as he saw what the red was. "No worries! It's just one of the beds!" he screamed to her.
"Thank Celestia! Can you see Helper?"
Button squinted his eyes.
The bed and - fortunately - the chests were the only things left. And area of about seven blocks by seven blocks was all that was clear. My Celestia... Has the whole upper mountain fallen on here or what?!
"No... I don't see-"
Then the sound. The faint scratching sound. "Wait! I hear something!"
"Go towards it!" Sweetie's hysteric scream came ringing into his ears.
Button proceeded to the bed and peeked under. You little lucky flightless bird...
"Yeah he's here! And alive!"
Helper had somewhat managed to protect himself under the only remaining bed. But his beak and wing had been touched as he was bleeding a little.
"I'm coming!"
Sweetie Belle jumped in and rushed towards Button before lifting the bed up and grabbing the little white package. "Ohhhh you had me so worried! I'm so glad you're alive! So glad!"
Sweetie hugged him as he lifted his black square eyes and gave a faint cluck. His left wing and his beak were slightly bloody, sign of an injury.
The sight of the white filly and her pet made Button smile as he decided to make a joke : "What about me? The valiant adventurer that jumped in to save him?!" he laughed.
"I'm really grateful to you too!" murmured Sweetie, a worried expression on her face.
Button was about to tell her it was a joke when she got closer and gave him a peck on the cheek.
Just a small one. But she had still pressed her lips against his soft skin.
Button froze, his mouth open and his face still wearing a joking expression.
Sweetie Belle felt herself blush as she saw him turn completely red. "I'm... I'm gonna go find seeds for Helper! Meet you outside!"
And she rushed towards the exit before her embarrassment would show.
Sweetie leaned against a tree and let out a big sigh, covering her face with her hooves. "That was so stupid! How could I even... Oh my Celestia! This is so embarrassing! I can never look him in the eye again! I need to calm down! Act normal Sweetie Belle... Here! Feed your chicken!"
Helper just stared at her with big eyes. Ponies...
Button on the other hoof wasn't doing much better.
He was desperately trying to hide his immense joy and blush. You can do this! Just... Just get out there and act as if nothing ever happened!
The brown colt took a step outside and saw Sweetie Belle feeding her chicken.
When she saw him, a normal smile appeared. He tried to copy hers as she got closer and stared at their 'house'. "What are we going to do now...?"
Button looked at the sky. It had only been an hour since night was over according to his watch and the day was going to be long. Then he got an idea.
"Well, I say we go make another house! We have enough wood right?"
"Yeah totally! That could work! A nice cottage in the plain so we could see the monsters arriving from afar!" exclaimed Sweetie, her excitement going up.
"Great! Ready to head out?" asked Button to everypony that was around.
A bark from Chaser, a cluck from Helper and a 'YESSSS!' from Sweetie Belle was all he needed to smile.
Button took a piece of meat and dropped it in front of the now fully grown dog.
Sweetie Belle gently smiled as he patted the hungry animal.
It reminded her of Helper and she looked around for the small chicken. She spotted him near one of the corners of the house they were building. He seemed to be observing something.
Sweetie approached him and frowned at the sight of his still healing wing. "Come here little adventurer!"
Helper clucked and rubbed his head like a cat against her hind legs. "Affectionate heh? Did your beak heal properly?"
Button appeared next to her and smirked. "I hope he likes me now... I saved him right?"
The chicken turned his back to the foal and continued to observe the grass.
"What is he doing?" asked Button, puzzled.
"No idea... He's been doing that for a while now..." shrugged Sweetie before jumping back with a yelp when Helper, quick as Rainbow Dash, leaned forward as a pink worm emerged from the ground. He grabbed it and gobbled it up before happily clucking and trotting away.
The two ponies just blankly stared at the spot where he had been just a few seconds ago. Then : "OH MY CELESTIA A WORM! A WIGGLY PINK WORM JUST... SQUEEEE!" suddenly yelled Sweetie, running away in a flash.
"Delayed reaction much...?" mumbled Button, watching her shudder away. "Hey you okay?"
"Yeah... It's just... I hate worms! They're so... so... ewwww..." she squeaked, putting her front hooves around her legs and rocking back and forth in a fetus position.
"The real question would be why is it here...? I mean..."
"Mods" immediately said Sweetie Belle, still lying on the ground.
"Oh yeah... It's weird but... I'm thinking we should have guessed there would be things as small as worms if there were butterflies" murmured Button, looking at a flower that had a beautiful yellow and green butterfly on it. Then he looked at Sweetie Belle. "You do know that you're sitting on an ant nest right...?"
That was it for the poor white filly who squealed again and started to run in circles, red and even rainbow colored ants crawling all over her.
"The water! Get in the water now!" yelled Button, indicating a small nearby pond with his hoof.
She did as told and a rush of relief spread over her face... before becoming stiff as a rock.
"What?" asked Button, anxious to what other trouble she had jumped in.
"J... Jellyfish..." quietly said Sweetie Belle, not moving an inch.
"But I thought they'd be in sea water... I guess things like that don't apply to minecraft yet...?" murmured Button, focused.
"Yeah just go on about your own stuff, don't mind me just dipping in a pool full of jellyfish!" sarcastically snapped Sweetie Belle.
"Oh sorry! Here..." smiled Button, "grab onto my hoof..."
Sweetie Belle felt weird as she touched his skin, remembering when she had kissed him. It was warm and comforting so she hung on to it tight as he gently and carefully pulled her out of the scary waters.
"You okay?"
"Yeah..."
"I would just like to ask you one thing..." smiled Button.
"Yeah?"
"Can you let go of my hoof? You're squishing it..." still smiled Button.
"I'm so sorry!"
"It's fine... I guess mods are going to complicate our game from now on... And we should get building. Night is gonna fall soon..."
"Sure!" chirped Sweetie Belle, grabbing onto a wooden plank and placing it in their construction sight. They had opted for a casual but comfortable wooden house that had its charms.
Sweetie was starting the roof when Button suddenly let out a thought : "It's weird that with all the mods that were installed, we can only see more animals and stuff... I'd think there would be more... additions..." he muttered.
"Maybe they're coming up one after the other...?"
"Probably. Glass panes or glass blocks?"
"Panes. And I was thinking... don't you think GameSpark would have figured something out? Like with the fact that the camera was in your room and us strangely disappearing..." suggested Sweetie Belle, dangerously hanging onto a piece of birch colored staircase to put another down.
"Careful! And you're right... I never thought of that! What about the door?" he asked, putting in a simple question at the end of his sentence.
"Iron, duh! With a pressure plate for the inside and a button for the outside!" Sweetie Belle positioned the last stair that served as a roof and jumped down... before screaming.
"Button! Look! It's a... It's a..."
"What?!" Button looked out the window, panicked.
"A lucky block!!" she screamed.
"No way!"
"Yes way! Come see!"
Button rushed outside and saw the beautiful yellow block with a pixelated question mark on it. "Wow..."
"Let's open it!" excitedly chirped Sweetie Belle.
"Wait! It's not bound to be lucky..."
"But... But what are we gonna do then?!" whined the white filly, urging him.
"I... I don't know!"
"We could stand back and then try and open it!" Sweetie Belle nudged him forward a bit.
"Whatever... Okay..." cringed Button. "Just stand back!"
"As if! I'm right by your side!"
Button felt anxious and gently punched the block once... then twice... then three times... Until it finally popped open and...
Sheep. Dozens of sheep. Dozens of rainbow colored sheep just appeared out of nowhere.
There was a moment of silence before Sweetie Belle burst out laughing. Button soon followed and they both rolled on the grass.
"I never thought I'd actually see that in my life!" giggled Sweetie.
"Hey! You never know what awaits you in the future!"
Then Button thought about what he had just said. That's right... You never know what's going to happen next... Especially in a game like this...
"And the beds go... there!"
Two red and comfortable looking beds were put down in one of the corners. "Perfect! That's the last of what we had to do!" chirped Sweetie Belle.
Their house was nicely done. A small second floor had even been created to make it more welcoming. And Chaser and Helper both had their little carpets where they could lie down, an orange one for the chicken and a light blue one for the dog - that had a matching collar.
"Now that's teamwork!" grinned Button.
"Totally! I can't believe we did all that in such little-"
A loud bang was heard.
Button's ears perked up and he shot a quick glance at her. Panic quickly arose in his chest. Trouble...?
Then the lighting changed.
The lousy pink light that had been crossing the windows due to the setting sun became a bright red that seemed to illuminate the whole room.
Clouds outside became less blocky. The grass gently blew and amazing shades accompanied the remaining animals who were walking in the plain.
"Wow..." breathed Sweetie Belle.
Her own coat seemed to be shimmering white and her eyes were sparkling with joy.
Button smiled then looked back outside and sat next to her, his warmth mixing with hers.
Sure they were stuck in a game. Sure they could die. Sure it was hard...
But at that precise moment, there was nowhere else in the world were he wanted to be.
Button took a determined face. "Yeah... Let's do this!"
"Just... be careful okay?"
"Same for you..." murmured Button, taking a step forward towards the glowing portal.
A few purple particles were coming out of it and were floating around the two friends. An obsidian contour was wrapping it all in.
Button gave Sweetie Belle a shaky smile. He was in fact terrified. They had come to the conclusion that going to the nether would be a must if they wanted to survive. And the underworld was the most dangerous place he had ever encountered.
Lava, ghasts and blazes - not mentioning the wither skeletons - just about made something deadly and scary. Oh and the mods. Especially when you had a bold and cute filly by your side.
"Go!"
Sweetie was the first to jump, soon followed by Button that already had his bow in hoof just in case. He had also asked the white filly to have cobblestone out to cover their precious portal.
A burning sensation similar to the one they had felt by being transported into minecraft crept over Button, making him grit his teeth in pain.
His vision became blurry for a short amount of time and the world became purple. Button closed his eyes to open them again a few seconds later and discovering their new surroundings.
Flames and lava everywhere. Red netherack also.
Button's eyes widened in amazement at the dangerously stunning view he had on top of a cliff.
But the peace didn't last long.
An explosion surprised him and he jumped back. Sweetie Belle was already constructing a wall of cobblestone around their portal, not bothering about her surroundings.
Button blushed at his incapacity and quickly looked up to see the scariest thing ever. Ghasts were actually huge when you were in the game.
A wave of panic over came him as the monster fired another ball of fire at the colt.
Button pushed back his fear. It's for Sweetie Belle... I've gotta get her out of here safe!
He swapped his bow for his sword and waited for the right moment, not moving and watching the fireball approach him. He heard a cry behind him. "Button!"
Then, when it was about to hit him, Button pushed it back with all his strength and it silently went back to it's master, blowing up in his face.
Button fired two arrows with his enchanted bow - flame II - and killed the gigantic thing that popped out of existence, leaving only a few tears behind.
Sweetie Belle stared in awe. He's so amazing! The way he faced that fireball! And he was so calm! I wish I was more like him...
Her smiled then vanished. What am I saying...? What's happening to me...? Is this... Is this... She directed her gaze towards Button who was scanning the skies - or ceiling in this case. She saw his determination and kindness. She saw his bravery, everything she had never seen in him before. Before the glitch. Before all that. Who had always been there for her? Who had always stood up for her? Who had always accompanied her? Button.
"I love him..." she murmured. It hit her hard like a revelation. She just wanted to run to him and take him in her arms, explaining her feelings.
But she didn't. He probably didn't love her back and... it would be awkward to tell him she had fallen in love just because he protected her in a game.
"Great job! You're really a good builder!" smiled Button,
"Thanks..." his compliment made her blush even more than the usual.
"Okay, let's get to safety!" declared Button, seeing a few other ghasts approaching.
"Sure! Even made a door!" proudly chirped the white filly, hopping down from the cube she had created around the portal.
Button smiled which made her heart beat increase.
What am I doing...
"Careful... Careful...!" murmured Button, crouching down and focusing on the blaze.
"He should fire at me if I come out first, so I'll be the bait! Then you just hop out and attack him!" said Sweetie Belle, scared that Button would get hurt if he went first. But still... What am I, his mother?
"But-!" tried to deny Button.
"No arguing with a mare. And you're a better shooter than me! Now... onwards!" fake conviction ringed in her mouth as she quickly went pass the blaze.
It immediately started to fire.
Button didn't wait and threw arrows at the thing. A little blood came out of it before it exploded.
"Ewwww!" cringed Sweetie Belle, coming back. "Now that is a disgusting and unnecessary mod!"
"Agreed!" replied Button. "But I think we went through the whole dungeon. Don't you think it's time to go back? We got everything that wasn't findable in the normal minecraft world!"
"Good idea! About time we got out of here too... These mods are really starting to add up!"
"I still wonder who it was..." murmured Button as they exited the nether dungeon.
"That will only be answered when we get back..." answered Sweetie Belle gloomily. She didn't say the next sentence that they were both thinking. If we come back...
"Weird how we've only been in this game for a week and two days, and it feels like so much has happened!" smiled Sweetie Belle as she hopped towards their house.
"I know right? So many problems... So many moments of happiness too!" added Button as he cleared his pockets into the chest.
"Yeah! We certainly changed..." she sighted as she petted Helper's head before looking out their window.
She looked pass their portal, pass the peaceful animals and blocky trees... It's so surreal... I can't believe-
Sweetie's eyes widened. Her breath became unsteady. No... No... It... Am I dreaming?!
She rubbed her eyes and focused. They have to be animals! They couldn't be... But she was wrong. Out there, pretty far away were the figures of moving ponies. And not just the ones in minecraft. Players!
"I know right!" smiled Button, not looking up from the chest. "The world is so beautiful and alive!"
"N... No I mean... Please come here! I think I'm hallucinating!" whimpered Sweetie Belle, not wavering her eyes from where the moving figures were.
Button seemed to finally sense the panic in her voice and cautiously approached her. "What is is? Did you eat something in the nether?"
"Just look!" she squealed, praying it wasn't a dream.
Button squinted his eyes in the indicated direction and his mouth opened wide.
"Well...?! What are you seeing?" urged Sweetie Belle.
"Are those... players??" he murmured.
"You see them too! Maybe it's help! Button somepony's finally going to rescue us!" she chirped, green sparks coming out of her horn.
"You sure? I don't want to get my hopes up too high!" he said, but Sweetie Belle didn't listen and opened their front door to rush outside. "Wait up!" exclaimed Button, following behind.
But Sweetie Belle didn't. She was way too exited and worried.
Was this it? Was this nightmare finally going to stop? Were those ponies out there going to put an end to their horror?
She could see the figures now. They were four. Three of them seemed to be dressed in lab coats.
"Hey! Hey!" screamed Sweetie Belle at the top of her lungs.
The figures turned around, and watched them approach.
Button ran as fast as he could and went beyond Sweetie Belle, stopping in front of them. The white filly joined him only seconds later and they could admire the shocked and surprised expressions on the three stallions and one mare's faces.
"W... What?" a stallion exclaimed, leaning in.
Sweetie Belle gasped, now clearly seeing his face. "Mister GameSpark!"
The creator of their nightmare just stood there, looking at them with big eyes.
The other ponies just started taking notes before Button decided to speak : "We're trapped! But... You found us! You know your invention? Well... We kinda messed with it and so... It's like.. You know! So can we leave now? Is the button to leave the game available?" he mumbled, getting lost in his sentence, words just stumbling out of his mouth.
GameSpark continued to stare at them and then looked up and sighted with a smile. "You two... You two foals..." Then his expression changed into something scary and evil. "How are you two still alive?!" he laughed.
The two foals in question just stared at him with big eyes. "Huh?" muttered Button.
"I asked," repeated GameSpark, "How are you two still alive after all this time?!"
"What do you mean 'all this time'?! It's only been a week and three days! I counted!" shouted Sweetie Belle.
GameSpark looked puzzled. "A week and three...? What...! Do you two know how long you've actually been gone?"
Button felt that something bad was coming up. "Yeah... We... just told you..."
"That must be another glitch... Wow! I created such a huge glitch! It's almost like an amazing spell I invented! Am I not such a genius?" he then grinned, turning to his colleagues.
The ponies just nodded before taking more notes.
"What do you mean 'glitch'? Listen sir, we have no idea about what's been going on here! And we got stuck in here for more than enough time! So now I'm going to say this calmly..." Button took a step forward, his face becoming angry. "Get us out of your damm invention before I really get mad."
GameSpark, Sweetie Belle and the three ponies looked surprised. Sweetie Belle just stared at her brave friend and GameSpark almost took a step back in front of the determination and anger of the colt. But he quickly regained his composure and mocked Button.
"Quite a little fighter ya got there huh little filly?" he smiled. "But don't you two worry, I can explain the glitch to you two. Your poor, useless and slow minds would never be able to figure anything out after all!"
Button lunged at the stallion with a cry but was stopped when a blue aura coming from one of the stallion's horn engulfed him and immobilized him.
The same thing happens to Sweetie Belle before she could even open her mouth.
"Now, as you two surely at least figured out," started GameSpark patiently, "You were transported to Minecraft thanks to my amazing invention that - sadly - still isn't finished yet. The night you disappeared, I came back to get my camera and, when I couldn't find you two anywhere and saw that my camera had been used plus the fact that your game menu was open, I assumed that being the stupid and curious children as you were, you had been transported to Minecraft. I copied the world seed you were in and left the house, leaving the rest to your family and the guards.
But I just had to continue my glorious work and decided to experiment in the world you've been stuck in. I didn't say anything to anypony expect for my colleagues, because I simply didn't want my invention to have a bad reputation or run the risk for it to be shut down.
So I patiently waited. And at last one day, both your families came to the conclusion that you two had fled your houses. Heck Button's mother even sold his computer! And I actually thought that you were dead! After all this time, you'd think that two mere infants wouldn't have the intelligence to survive! But when you said that it had only been ten days, I realized the most important glitch of all : One day here is one whole month in the real world."
The stallion then leaned in and squinted his eyes with a happy face, staring directly into Button's furious eyes. "You've been gone for ten months kids."
Sweetie Belle felt her world crumble and tears started to flow down her cheeks. The most marking part in GameSpark's story was that her sister and whole family just forgot about her.
"No..." a faint whisper came from Button's side. "They... You... How can you be so evil...?!"
"Kid," shrugged GameSpark. "The market is tuff these days. You gotta do what you gotta do. And actually, I believe that the time has come for us to leave."
The stallion got out of his pocket a small device with a few buttons on it. "You ponies ready? And I don't ever want these two mentioned ever again! They're dead to us okay? We never saw them!" declared GameSpark.
"No wait! You can't do this!" screamed Sweetie Belle. "Please! How could you?! Let us come with you!"
"No!" muttered Button. "Let Sweetie Belle go! Leave me here! She'll promise she won't ever say anything about me trapped here okay? But please let her go!"
GameSpark sighted as he pressed one of the buttons and started to fade away.
"Listen kid! I don't care about you or your friend! Now just keep in mind that you can't get out, you're family forgot all about you and that you're gonna die soon! See ya!"
And with a maniacal laugh, he and his colleagues disappeared with a flash of white.
"B... Button?" murmured Sweetie Belle, looking at him with a worried expression.
The colt didn't answer. His gaze wasn't leaving the ground and his hooves were firmly gripping the blocky soil as if he was about to fall. The sun was illuminating the spot where GameSpark had been mere moments ago.
Sweetie Belle's expression became worried and a hint of despair hit it. "Please... Say something" she pathetically whimpered. "Anything..." It couldn't be like this! They were both so happy before! Just an hour ago they were smiling! Why did it all have to crumble...?
Button's gaze slowly lifted to the spot where GameSpark had disappeared and looked away, avoiding Sweetie's pleading eyes. Anger and sadness were drawn all over his face.
"He's right. We're already dead."
Then his hooves turned the other way and he walked away, as if every muscle in his body was hurting.
"Button..." But Sweetie's shout died in her throat as sorrow overcame her. "Please Button... Come back!" she croaked.
But his little brown figure didn't turn around, disappearing like smoke above the burning fire that had left them broken.
Sweetie Belle watched him disappear in the giant forest before her legs snapped and she fell to the floor, crying and burying her face in her hooves. Button... Button this isn't the moment! Please come back. Please!
Eyes down, shaky hooves, and depressed face. That was what Button looked like.
He could only imagine what he'd see if he had a mirror. Probably just a depressed colt slowly walking through the forest, looking like his little pathetic world had crumbled. Because that was exactly what had happened. He was the spitting image of depression itself.
He didn't care where he was going. As long as he was alone.
But his walk didn't last long before it hit him. Everything he had done. Everything he had tried to protect. It was all for nothing. The sad thing that was reality caught up with him and hit him harder than anything he had ever felt.
His legs gave way and he fell to the ground, feeling... broken. Button buried his face in the ground and bashed it against it with all his strength, not caring if it hurt him. Because the pain felt good. In a way. He only stopped when blood started to freely fall from his forehead, soaking the green grass in deep red blood.
"What... What am I doing...?"
A rustle in the leaves was heard and a little nose pocked out of the thick vegetation. Button gave half a smile. "Chaser... You're probably wondering what I'm doing here huh?"
The dog approached him with caution, merely sniffing the blood on the ground before slowly making his way to the colt and lift up his head to show the foal his pleading and innocent eyes. They made him think of Sweetie Belle's. Button grabbed him and leaned against a tree, hugging him.
"I don't even know myself" he muttered. "Everything is so complicated! GameSpark was right... We are going to die! Even our families don't... They don't..." his voice died down to only a whisper. "They don't care. My mom... How could she forget about me?! To go as far a selling my computer... In only seven months... I'm gone. No pony will ever remember me. Even Sweetie Belle... I couldn't even save her. I'm a failure..."
Chaser gently buried his muzzle in Button's fur and licked it, making the colt feel more relaxed as he petted the dog's fluffy fur. A gust of wind rustled the leaves of the forest and made the flowers sway. A few petals from a red flower floated around him, the same deep red color he had grown so accustomed to in the past few days. His dog's tail was gently moving around, showing his hapiness. He didn't care. As long as he was with his master, everything would be fine.
How much time they spent there, watching the brown leaves gently fall and admiring the last few rays of golden sun, he had no idea.
But the silence was getting annoying at the end, sickening even. So Button headed back to the house, his loyal dog trotting next to him, tail wagging more eagerly now as his master's sadness drifted away.
Sweetie Belle was laying on her bed in a foetal position. She had always wanted answers to her questions. But she never thought it would be that bad.
Even Button, the proud, amazing and brave colt that had always protected her, was gone. The only foal that had ever cared, had disappeared.
Her bed was wet with tears and Helper was gently clucking next to her, sometimes picking at her mane. "What am I going to do Helper?" she sobbed. "Rarity doesn't care about me! N... No pony does... And all this... this time when we've been h... hoping, praying for an exit, that horrible stallion was keeping it closed, making sure we would never get out..."
Helper clucked again and suddenly turned his head to the window.
Sweetie Belle didn't look. She didn't want to see Button.
She just continued petting Helper's soft feathery head and snuggled deeper into her matress. Sweetie heard hoofsteps across the whole room, right next to the bed she was laying on.
Hooves wrapped around her, making her jump. Before she could even say a word, his voice came to her ears.
"I'm... sorry... I know it's hard on you. That you miss your friends, your family. We both do. But I left you." His voice shook. "You're... important to me. There isn't much hope left either... But I want to try. We both have to try. We have to stay together, making sure we survive until the end. Because no matter what Sweetie Belle, I'll be here with you. And I'll protect you."
His voice was like sweet honey dropping into her ears and his brown hooves were as soft as a feather, warming her up. Had his fur always been this warm? Sweetie Belle could feel his nice breath against her cheeks, and it smelled like fresh apples.
Tears began to freely flow down her cheeks and her heart started to ache. "I... I... I lo-" she began. But then she shuddered. "Thank you..."
The grip tightened and she closed her eyes, feeling his warmth flow into her body. Shivers ran through her head and all she wanted to do was stay like that, with Button, the one who cared. The one she loved.
"Please... Don't let go... Can we stay like this for a while?" she pleaded.
"Sure..."
The sun was setting outside and, as a few stars started to come out, they both smiled.
"Cat! Cat!" Sweetie's screech made Button loose his concentration and he lost the fish he was trying to get out of the pond. He groaned and looked at a jumping Sweetie Belle who was followed by an ocelot.
Chaser and Helper growled (yes the chicken too) as they saw the innocent looking animal approach them.
"It's... just an ocelot..." mumbled Button, confused. "Aren't they supposed to run away from you?"
"Maybe it's a glitch! It's been following me since I saw it..."
She came closer to him and Button jerked back, a foul smell having come reach his nuzzle.
"I know why it's following you!" he chuckled, still covering his nose. "You smell like an army of fish died on you!"
Sweetie Belle frowned. "But... I only tried to catch some in the lake! And eventually got in a small fight with a squid but that's all!"
"Maybe it's squid ink... Anyways, why would you even care about squids?!"
"Because you said you wanted Chaser's collar to be black!" she chirped, proudly throwing the colorant on the floor.
She remembered? "Thanks Sweetie... That's really nice. Oh and I managed to catch a few fish. About three or four so try taming him!" he smiled.
"Nooooo! No no no! Not cats! Cats hate me! Don't you know about Opal? You have it!"
"But I would have two an-"
"Either that or we chase it away!"
Button sighed. "I don't have a choice. And thanks again!"
He approached the cat with his fish in hooves and dropped them in front of it.
Thankfully, the cat accepted the very first fish and turned into a small Siamese colored cat. It's delicate blue eyes were looking up at Button in admiration.
"Awww! It's cute!" sighed Sweetie Belle.
"Yeah and it will keep the creepers away." Button turned to his dog and quickly colored the collar.
"What about a name?"
Button concentrated. He looked up at Sweetie Belle and realized that she was the one who had brought the small cat to him. And how much she meant to him. Button closed his eyes. "What do I think of Sweetie...?" he quietly whispered to himself. "Let's see... She's kind, funny, beautiful... She shines and is as precious as a diamond!"
"Soooo?" The impatient voice of his friend made him jump.
"Diamond. That's what her name will be" said Button, plunging his eyes into Sweetie's.
"I like it!" The filly didn't pay attention to it further. "Right! What was next on our agenda?" murmured Sweetie Belle, squinting her eyes and focusing.
"Villagers!" smiled Button. "Our main goal throughout the game was to find villagers. And I think we should probably try finding them now... If my map is correct, we explored the whole east and south-west side of the area pretty much around our house, finding a jungle, birch forest, taiga biome, and desert biome. If we head north, we should find a snow biome which isn't the best of options because I doubt villagers-"
Sweetie Belle yawned and stopped listening to what she liked to call his S.S : 'Serious Side'.
Her mind wandered on other things like how were the rest of the CMC doing, if they had their cutie marks yet...
"Done!" smiled Button. "We're gonna cut through the Rocky Mountains and go back down through the taiga biome. Sound like a plan?"
"Yep!" Sweetie Belle quickly went on ahead before he started to get all focused again.
Her hooves would sometimes skip and her mouth would open to sing a joyful tune.
Which Button loved by the way. Just listening to her voice would calm him and make him happy.
"Button!" The sweet sound of her voice became frightened and he rushed forward.
"What is it?!" he shouted, seeing that she had stopped in front of a cliff.
"This... This isn't supposed to be like this right?! I mean, a jungle biome leading strait to a cliff...? You think it's another mod?"
Button came to a halt next to her and carefully peeked down.
A waterfall was running along the walls and monsters were waiting at the bottom.
"Seems too dangerous... We'll go around. Just look at the height!" exclaimed Button, backing away.
"Yeah. That's probably a fifty block fall. Unless you manage to get in that waterfall..." thought Sweetie out loud.
"Well we won't. Come on!"
Button started to go back into the forest and his friend followed.
But the animals seemed to have a problem. Helper was nervously clucking, the cat was jumping around and Chaser was softly growling.
"Hey... That means there's gonna be trouble!" murmured Sweetie Belle, nervously eyeing her chicken.
"I know... But what?" As if to answer Button's question, a huge noise was heard and with a 'click!' the whole world went black.
Sweetie Belle jumped and a small whimper escaped her lips. "What now...?"
Button saw the moon and stars lift up. "Another glitch perhaps...? Looks like night fell!"
"But... The monsters! We've gotta get back to the house now!"
Sweetie Belle started running in the opposite direction.
"Right behind you!" Button ran after her.
He barely escaped a zombie popping up next to him. Then a creeper arrived but quickly folded back because of Diamond.
"Sweetie Belle!" screamed Button, loosing her in the darkness. "Wait!"
A scream was his only reply and he pushed himself to the limits to go find her.
She was hitting a creeper, keeping it away but a spider was wrapping it's web around her hind hooves, therefor making her toggle and fall to the ground.
Button shot an arrow through the spider and didn't worry about the already fleeing creeper.
He grabbed Sweetie's hoof and they ran. Chaser kept teleporting for he would always stop and kill whatever he could. Diamond was proudly hissing and scratching at every nearby creeper she could find. And Helper. Well Helper was... Just being a normal chicken. He would even stop every so often to eat a maggot or some other insect.
"Wait Button!" shouted Sweetie, panting. "That's the waterfall!"
"We don't have a choice! They're pushing us towards here!" replied the colt, not stopping.
He only did when they were at the very edge.
"Now what?" whispered Sweetie Belle.
Button gulped. She's right... Now what? We can't possibly jump! And we'll get torn apart if we go back!
"I..."
"We have to jump!" suddenly said Sweetie, taking a step forward.
"Are you crazy?! How would we even survive the fall?!"
"The water! Now come on!" She continued her way to the edge and gave the horrified Button a smile. "I'll go first and drop some more water on my way down okay?"
The brown foal didn't have the time to stop her. She simply took another step and disappeared in the darkness.
"Sweetie Belle!" yelled Button, tears coming up to his eyes.
He didn't think and jumped strait after her.
The wind was blowing around him and his stomach turned upside down. He couldn't focus. His only thought was on the stupid thing he had just done and the death that would come after.
Then he hit the water hard and cried in pain. But he didn't die.
His ears were ringing because of the loud noise the waterfall was making and he couldn't make out where he was.
"Sweetie Belle!" he called out, trying to wiped the water out of his eyes. "Please answer! Sweetie Belle!"
For a second, only the roar of the waterfall answered him. Then a cry : "B... Button! Where are you?!"
Relief almost made the colt drop to his knees. "I don't know! Wait... I'll come to you!"
He proceeded to make his way in the icy cold water, squinting his eyes in the darkness.
Then he saw her.
Her wet mane was dripping all over the place. Her sparkly eyes were gone, only replaced by fear.
She was paddling to him.
Button didn't even have time register what had happened. He just felt hooves wrap around his neck and a warm body pressing against his.
"I thought... I thought you didn't make it!" she sobbed, loudly enough to be heard over the sound of the waterfall.
Anger went through Button's body. "And you?! What's your problem?! You could have been killed! Do you even know what I would have done after?! Do you even know how much I care about you?!"
Her big eyes widened. "You.. you care about me that much?"
Button felt frustrated. "Yeah! I do okay?! It's... It's... I..."
Sweetie buried her face in his chest. "... love you"
Button stopped breathing. Was he dreaming?
But her soft fur against his brought him back to reality. His smiled widened and he felt tears in his eyes again.
"Me too..."
The moon gently shined on their two bodies, illuminating them in white as they both closed their eyes and enjoyed each other's embrace.
Their embrace lasted a long time. If time had a name a meaning now.
For all Button cared about was the sweet white colored filly in his hooves.
'I love you...' Her voice rang in his ears and repeated itself again and again. It was amazing.
"Say... Say that again please..." murmured Button, closing his eyes and hoping he wasn't just imagining all that.
A giggle escaped the filly's mouth as her hooves around him tightened their grip, applying a soft, warm pressure on his body. "I love you..."
"How long?" whispered the colt.
"Since I realized how much you cared about me..." Sweetie Belle replied before her muzzle scrunched up and a small sneeze came out.
Button's ears perked up and he finally realized they were at the bottom of the waterfall. Surrounded by freezing water. Oh and the monsters.
An arrow shot pass him, barely missing his left ear.
"Let's go!" he smiled.
Sweetie Belle smiled back and a shiny sword came out of her hoof.
Button's bow was already ready to fight and he was eagerly awaiting the moment when he would once again protect his... um... fillyfriend?
A blush came to his cheeks but he shook it off with a shrug. Those embarrassing things would come later.
"I say we cut through the part of the waterfall. The monsters probably won't see us behind it" proposed Sweetie Belle.
"Yeah. Once again good thinking!"
She only chuckled and they both darted for the reassuring cover of the wall of water.
Button rushed to the side and started making a staircase going inside the hard gray rock. He then gave up on the idea of going back up to the surface first of all because it would be way too dangerous and second of all, the energy wasted would be huge! It certainly had been a long fall. So he just opted for a safer solution and started to mine and dig forward, making a nice - but tight - space.
Just for safety, he put a few torches down and asked for Sweetie Belle to enter what he had created first. It was some sort of cave that he blocked off so that no unwanted guests would wander in.
They just had to shoo away a few lizards and maggots (that finished in Helper's stomach) before the place was clear and cosy.
It was quite small though so they each snuggled, warming themselves up.
Sweetie's head was lying on Button's shoulder and he was pretty sure she was dozing off to sleep.
His right hoof gently patted her head, arranging a few strands of pink and purple hair that were sticking out.
A chuckle was heard. "My hair must look terrible!" she exclaimed, her voice strangely echoing. "No hairbrush or no mirror for days! Not to mention a bath... Or soap!"
"You look just fine to me..." murmured the brown colt. Then a smiled appeared on his lips. "But if you really want beauty products that bad, I'm sure you can craft some with one of the many mods installed!"
Sweetie Belle's ears perked up. "What's that supposed to mean?!" she protested.
"It means I would be surprised no pony created a mod for mares. I mean, can't you fillies not survive without makeup?!"
"Hey!" an exasperated sigh came out of her mouth as she gently poked his sides. "I do not wear makeup!"
Button laughed. "That's because you're so pretty... like without it!"
A small silence followed his words as a deep red blush appeared on his cheeks. He coughed. "Too mushy?"
"Yeah kind of..." replied Sweetie Belle before closing her eyes again. "But I kinda like it..." she whispered.
Button smiled and gently patted the area next to him so that Diamond and Chaser could snuggle with them. Helper, not wanting to be left out gave a few clucks before joining the hug in his usual grumpy way.
That's how they all fell asleep, feeling safe and warm, fuzzy and happy.
Button didn't awake immediately. He had forgotten that there was no natural sunlight in his artificial cave.
He yawned and resisted the urge to stretch, not wanting to disturb the sleeping filly and their pets.
But an unusual white glow from Sweetie Belle's side finished waking him up. Button squinted his eyes and looked in her direction. Before gasping.
SweetBellSinger
Her minecraft username was now shining above her.
That was odd... Their character tags hadn't appeared throughout the whole game. Why now?
Button grunted. That only meant more trouble.
"Hey Sweetie..." he gently said, shaking her up. "Time to open your eyes!"
She did just that before violently closing them, blinded by the glow.
"Hey... Did I just see your username?" she muttered, trying to open one of her eyes.
"Yeah... I don't know why they appeared. Maybe during the night something happened?"
"Ugh..." the white filly finally opened her eyes. "Well dear ButtonSmash," Button blushed at his childish username, "I think this just means more problems!"
Button was about to point out that he had been thinking the same thing but the sound of a pickaxe stopped him.
Sweetie opened wide her eyes in terror and backed away from the sound.
Button did the same and brought his sword out, ready to fight whatever was mining through the stone. Literally mining.
The block in front of them started to crack. Sweetie Belle readied her bow.
Button gulped as the block completely cracked open and a face peered through the opening.
A familiar voice laughed, gladness ringing in his laughter.
"Thank Celestia you two are alive! I never thought I'd find you!" smiled Rumble.
"What are you doing here?!" exclaimed Button, saying what she was too shocked to do.
"Heyyyy!" muttered the colt. "You two don't seem very happy to see me ya know... I mean, have you got any idea what I went through to find you guys?!"
"Of course we're glad to see you Rumble! But it's just..." started Sweetie Belle, questions overflowing her mouth.
"... you do know you're stuck here as well right?" finished Button with a sad frown.
"Nah don't worry! I know what recipe you need to craft our way out. But can we go somewhere cosier please? I'm freezing!" Rumble sneezed.
"Uh... Sure. We'll get you to our place. Follow us!"
Button was the first to come out and he shook his head to make the last of sleep disappear. There was a crafting recipe all this time?!
"Did you run into some monsters on your way here?" asked Sweetie Belle curiously while they exited the cave and the waterfall, gladly enjoying the warm sun.
"No. But... isn't the game in peaceful mode??!" Rumbled asked, surprised.
"Yeah that would have been so much easier!" snorted the white filly. They continued through the trees when Button stopped walking.
"Shhhh!" he suddenly muttered, looking in the distance.
Chaser growled and Diamond hissed. Helper just... just stood there being a chicken.
"Zombies..." murmured Sweetie Belle, a revolting stench floating in the air.
She tried to move another hoof but it got tangled in some sticky white substance.
"Aaaaand spiders..."
Rumbled heard a low, guttural growl. He gulped and shivered.
"Hey guys...? Uh... We should probably run!" He nervously looked around.
"No time for that. You get under the cover of the trees..."
Rumble's eyes widened. "You're gonna fight those things?!"
A small chuckle came out of Button's mouth. "How do you think we've survived all this time?"
Rumble didn't answer and ducked for the safe cover of the trees.
His friends were... scary. He hated to admit it but... they had changed in such a way! It was amazing really.
Sweetie Belle's sword appeared in her hooves and Button loaded his bow.
Their expressions were fierce and determined.
Without warning, Button fired in the distance, his left ear twitching. The dying sound of a spider was heard.
A zombie walked over to Sweetie Belle only to be killed in one whip of her sword. Her cold hearted expression was impressing.
Rumble breathed out. "She's kinda cool like that!"
Button fired a few more times but a spider approached him with incredible speed. A mandible sliced through his leg and he rolled to the side.
Rumble gasped at the size of the spider. Fear made him shiver and he considered running away before remembering he wouldn't be safe.
But Button got up, ignoring the pain and jumped on the spider, plunging his shiny sword through its back.
Sweetie Belle helped him get up and agilely fired one last arrow at a zombie before looking over to where Rumble was hiding. "You okay?" she smiled, holding out a hoof.
Rumble looked down and shook himself to wash off the fear before accepting her hoof. "That was pretty neat!" he exclaimed. But a gasp came out of his mouth when he saw Button's leg.
It was a bloody mess. Torn up flesh was slowly regenerating and the white of the bone had just disappeared. A puddle of blood was now lying on the floor.
Rumble felt dizzy and turned to throw up. How did he manage to jump on that spider and then fight it with such a wound?! "We... We gotta get outta here!" he murmured.
Sweetie Belle patted his back. "That's what we've been telling each other for the past week dude."
Rumble frowned. "You mean for the past year right?"
A sigh came to their ears and they turned to see that Button has painfully got up. "We forgot that time works differently here."
Sweetie rushed to his side and gently nuzzled him with affection.
A blush came to Button's cheeks and his first reaction was to back away in front of the curious glare of his friend.
Sweetie Belle widened her eyes before hardening up. "That," she harshly whispered, "just cost you dinner."
Button whimpered and pathetically followed her through the forest. Rumble squinted his eyes at their evident complicity. A pang of... was it jealousy...? Shot through his heart and he quickly caught up to them.
"You guys must have been so amazed when you first teleported..." he chuckled. "Just to see the look on your faces would have been hilarious!"
Button gave an amused growl and pushed a hissing red snake away. "Wasn't so funny the first time we got hurt..."
Rumble decided to close his mouth for now.
Instead, his mind wondered on the fauna and flora of the minecraft world. Animal cries and squeals were echoing through the whole jungle, mixing with the sound of their hoof steps. Upon closer inspection, Rumble could see cubic pebbles skidding along as they moved the grass and earth. The detail is incredible! It kinda hurts the eyes to see everything pixelated. Plus, this world is already scary during the day... I don't want to experience it at night! His gaze shifted and he looked at his two friends in front of him.
"It was a reflexe!" was muttering Button.
"I would never do that to you!" replied Sweetie Belle through her gritted teeth.
Chaser seemed to be laughing, a huge spider leg in his mouth. Diamond hissed at it and Chaser shook it around.
Rumble looked back at the huge trees around them. The lighting of the sun was extremely well done as it gently heated them all up, passing through the leaves.
They all arrived in a plain and Rumble spotted a small wooden house in the distance. "How did I not notice that?!" he laughed.
"Sweetie Belle decorated it. I just did the blueprints."
"And where did you draw them?!" mocked Rumble.
"On a bloody pumpkin from one of those freaking mods..." Button rolled his eyes and spotted a blue bird flying through the sky. "At least we won't run out of food..."
"Yeah..." nervously chuckled Rumble. "About the mods... I was the one to install them..."
Sweetie Belle lifted her eyebrows. "Why would you do that?! Did you have access to Button's computer?! Why didn't you say anything?! Hey Button..." she leaned towards the brown colt and suspiciously eyed out Rumble. "His hair style looks like GameSpark's one... Do you think he could be his son?"
Rumble jumped at all the accusations. "Whoa whoa there!" he quickly said, lifting his hooves up in a defensive position. "Caaaaaalm down! Put. the sword. down."
Sweetie Belle hid it in her inventory.
"I said I'd explain everything once I was safe and at your house!" continued the foal.
"You can explain it right now! There's no danger..." grumbled Sweetie Belle.
Rumble opened his mouth to protest but what came out was a very unmanly scream when a mole popped it's head out of the ground just in front of his hooves.
Chaser barked and Diamond gave what seemed to be an amused meow.
Sweetie rolled her eyes and sliced through the black mole that disappeared. "We'll just go back to the house in case this big baby passes out when he'll see a butterfly."
"So..." said Rumble, staring at his mug of steaming coco. His fascination grew when he saw that the steam was pixelated.
"Sooooo...?" pressed Sweetie Belle, pacing around the table they had took place around.
Button was sitting in front of Rumble, wearing a serious expression. But the annoying tapping of his hooves on the hard wood showed his anticipation.
"Sorry..." Rumble shook his head. "Well... It's kind of hard to decide where to start!"
"I'm going to put it in a different way..." Sweetie Belle finally sat down and glared at him. "Either you start now or we leave you outside tonight."
Rumble gulped. "Okay... Uh... So after you guys disappeared, there was a lot of commotion. Every pony was looking for you and there were 'Missing' signs everywhere. Princess Twilight was restless. Even Princess Luna came over to Ponyville one day to try and find something out so she looked through our dreams. And both your families were in a terrible state. Rarity closed her boutique in Manehattan and your parents rented a house in Ponyville for a month or so.
As for you Button, rumours said that your mother almost went mad. She rarely left her house but when she did, we could always hear her mumble weird things like 'They were in their rooms' and 'the windows were closed' and even 'I should have stayed with them!'
Of course there had been patrols, alerts and research for a kidnapper. But nothing came out of that. It was like you had both vanished into thin air!"
Rumble took a sip of his cocoa, feeling his throat dry up. He looked up at his friends. Sweetie Belle had completely stopped moving now.
Her bottom lip was quivering and she was holding tight onto Button's hoof. The brown colt wasn't moving either although a few tears were shining in his eyes.
"Then your mother decided to sell a few of your things." continued Rumble. "And that's where I came in! I needed a new computer and decided to buy yours since it was cheap and that I wouldn't forget you! But I never payed much attention to this created world.
Normally, a few days ago - well months for us -, GameSpark and his colleagues saw you. Well one of his colleagues was my uncle...
He visited us on Christmas and he was just so... different! He was a usually pretty serious stallion, always strict and distant. But that holiday, he was a nervous wreck! Even his appearance had changed... I remember him gasping in front of one of your 'missing' pictures upon arriving in Ponyville. He could never concentrate...
One day, I told him that you guys were my friends... And that's when he told me everything. He begged me to do something, to help him repay his crime. He had tried to keep it a secret from GameSpark but it had been too much! I mean, sure my uncle is strict but he isn't heartless! Apparently he had quit the GameSpark industries after your encounter and in exchange for a lot of money, his silence. But thank Celestial I was able to make him feel guilty to death! He was praying so hard for both of you to still be alive! And I got sent in thanks to another prototype he snuck out of the agency.
And voila! Here I am!"
Rumble tried a shaky smile in front of the tears his friends were offering him.
Button wiped his eyes. "Thanks dude... I really appreciate that..."
"We really appreciate that..." corrected Sweetie Belle. Her eyes were more showing a furious rage.
"So, what about crafting our way out?!" smiled Rumble.
A shocked silence met his words. "What...?!" exclaimed the grey colt.
"It's so weird... We've been trapped in here for so long!" giggled Sweetie. "And... And you just barge in and tell us that we could have crafted our way out all this time!"
"I mean, just a few hours ago we were still sleeping, not knowing that you would come save us!" chuckled Button.
Rumble shrugged before trotting over to their crafting table. "Please tell me you two have iron, gold, diamond and red stone!" he nervously whimpered.
"No worries!" Button gave him the necessary. "Do what you gotta do!"
He then turned to Sweetie Belle who was casting a worried look on the animals. She wobbled to them and stared strait into the eyes of Helper. Button was about to ask what in Equestria she was doing when...
"Helpeeeeeeeeeeer...!" she suddenly burst out in tears, bending down to hug the chicken. "I don't wanna..." she sniffled. "I don't wanna loose youuuuuuuu!"
Button started to feel uncomfortable in front of the two huge waterfalls. Now that was a lot of water! "We... We'll see them again don't worry about it!"
Something soft rubbed against his hind hooves. Diamond looked up at him with her big blue eyes.
Chaser gave a soft whimper. "Aw come on guys seriously?!" muttered Button, feeling tears come up as well. "You made her cry, you're not going to break me as well!"
But he couldn't resist shedding a few tears. "I'll miss you little buddy... And you too" he added, stroking Diamond. "And I might even miss you!" he chuckled in Helper's direction. To which an angry peck was his reply.
"You two are way too mushy!" sighed Rumble. In his hoof was a black box with red buttons on it, similar to the one GameSpark had used.
"Ready to go?!" smiled Button, inching closer to Sweetie Belle.
She gave a smile back through her tears and grabbed his hoof, not noticing the disappointed look Rumble was giving her. "So ready!" she yelled.
And as Rumble pressed a few buttons on the machine and the world started becoming white, she hugged Button and gave him a kiss on the lips, interiorly giggling at his surprise.
Button shook himself clear of the water. An annoyed "heeeeeey!" followed by a laugh made him smile.
"I had just started to be nice and warm!" complained Sweetie Belle with a frown although her eyes were showing no sign of anger.
Button leaned in and placed a kiss on her lips. "Pardoned?"
Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes and leaned back onto her beach chair. "Yeah I guess."
But the furious blush in her cheeks showed how happy she was. She had grown so much... One year in their teenage times away certainly had changed both of them.
Sweetie Belle was taller and her features were now more... more mature.
As for Button, ponies said that he had become a fine young stallion with a strong heart and will to defend his marefriend - something that hadn't changed from the game. He was about to dive back into the lake when Rumble came galloping to them, a huge smile plastered on his face.
"Guys!" he chirped. "Check this out!"
The colt tossed a page of some newspaper on the ground with a triumphant grin. Sweetie Belle got off her beach chair and lifted her sunglasses. Button approached the newspaper and picked it up before reading the headlines : "VIRTUAL FOALNAPPER JUDGED" he read out-loud so that Sweetie Belle could hear. "Ingenious game creator GameSpark was finally judged for his criminal acts that had consisted in foalnapping two young kids of the name 'Sweetie Belle' and 'Button Mash'. The princesses just announced yesterday that he would be convicted and sent to prison for two years."
"Yeepee!" squealed Sweetie Belle, jumping on Button and tackling him with a huge hug.
"My uncle was judged as well but non guilty since he helped rescue," announced Rumble, feeling somewhat jealous at the love filled couple. A moment of silence ran by.
"Remember when we came back?" suddenly asked Button.
"Oh yeah!" giggled Sweetie. "The looks on everypony's face!"
"All thanks to me!" smiled Rumble, inching closer to Sweetie Belle.
Button's ear gave a slight flick. He had noticed that the gray colt had been a little too nice to his fillyfriend. And he never seemed to make her forget that he was the one who had saved the day. Button grabbed Sweetie's shoulders and gave her a peck on the cheek before giving Rumble a provocative look.
"And Rarity cried of joy for two hours strait!" laughed Sweetie Belle, not seeming to notice the tension between both colts.
"It was only three months ago..." started Button.
"Yet it seems so far!" finished Rumble.
They all let out a happy sigh, remembering their bumpy arrival...
Button put his hooves on his eyes as the white light blinded him. Sweetie Belle's form in his hooves had disappeared.
"Ow, ow, owww! Something's burning!" whined a voice.
"S... Sweetie...?" mumbled Button, slowly opening his eyes.
"It's the camera! Guys help me put out the fire or my mom is gonna kill me!" said Rumble's voice and Button saw him putting his bed sheet over the starting flames.
Button got up and helped him, before realizing that the world wasn't blocky anymore. His mouth opened wide. "S... Sweetie Belle?"
He span around and saw she was looking out the window.
"We're home..." she murmured.
"Guuuuuuys! Trying to prevent my house from burning here!"
But Button ignored him and joined Sweetie Belle. "We're home!" he shouted and they both opened the window and jumped out, huge smiles on their faces, enjoying the warm round sun. Shocked screams were heard everywhere.
"We made it!!" chirped Sweetie Belle, lifting her hooves up in the air.
In the corner of his eye, Button saw Lyra and BonBon stand up from a bench and both shift their eyes from the couple foals to the nearby wall. Button looked over it and saw a 'MISSING' poster with their smiling faces on them. He quickly grabbed it and tossed it on the floor.
"TAKE THAT GAMESPARK!" yelled Sweetie before jumping up and down on the poster. She stopped when a huge gasp came to her ears.
Sweetie stopped and looked in the direction of the sound. There, dressed in black stood her sister.
Tears came up to the delicate mare's eyes and she held a hoof to her mouth. "S... Sweetie Belle...?" uttered Rarity. "Is it really you...?"
Sweetie Belle, too shocked by the emotion, simply nodded.
"Oh my darling!" cried Rarity, running to her and hugging her with all her might.
"Button!" The scream almost made him jump to the sky.
He turned and saw his mother shaking at just a few hoofsteps of him. "M... Mom..." he muttered, unsure how to respond.
The mare threw her shopping bags on the ground and galloped to Button, way too amazed to cry. "My baby! My poor baby!" she screamed. "I knew it! Where were you?! Do you know how much I was scared...?!" Her motherly instincts were taking over again and she was unsure if she had to act angry or glad.
Her son on the other side saw Applebloom and Scootaloo hugging Sweetie Belle to death and Princess Twilight Sparkle scribbling on a parchment with rapidity. Button smiled at the crowd of ponies that had gathered around. He grabbed Sweetie Belle and gave her a huge hug but she took his face in her hooves and once again kissed him.
Exclamations of shock, then cheers were heard all around them. He even heard a "FINALLY MY SHIP HAS SET SAIL!" somewhere. Applebloom and Scootaloo were jumping up and down upon seeing the new couple. Rarity was crying again and Button's mother was laughing her head off, murmuring 'finally, finally, finally' between each breath.
Button smiled to himself and Sweetie looked up at him. Her sparkly green eyes were showing relief as she though the same thing as him.
It was over. It was all over.
And they had both gained something extremely precious along the way...
You kids... You kids really think it's done...? You'll see. You'll ALL see.
Once I'm out of prison, you'll be sorry for ever messing with me...
