Button Mash: High School Life

by rock4u7

Rating: teen
Tags: Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Snips, Other, Romance, Comedy, Scootaloo, Slice of Life
Length: 109880

The holidays are over and Button heads back to the harsh world of teenage life, trying to survive it with his rag-tag group of friends,The Gamers and Gamettes. Pick up your controller and plug right in Player Two.

Button has to go back to the troubles of teenage life, which includes patching things up at home, keeping his friends....and trying to make things less awkward between him and his X-Marefriend Sweetie belle in this dark,cheerful and even comedic insightful take on a Colts high school life and general experiences.

This is told through the perspective of a bitter teenage gamer trying to survive in high school and keep control with the crumbling world around him.

Published 2014-01-16 17:00:03 UTC
Last updated 2017-10-31 12:51:26 UTC

Part 2 : I am error.

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Part 3: Power-Up Acquired.

Button’s room ignited as his mother pulled his curtains open, The Amber sunlight of the morning dowsed button’s face with a laser beam of hot yellow illumination. Button not knowing how to react to this sensation awoke in a violent fit, screaming as he buried his head under his Star Wars sheets.

“Buttons! Hurry up or you’ll be late for school!” Button’s Mother yelled in a tone that added just the right amount of ear shattering screech.

“I’m late to much school to” Button deliriously explained as he barrel rolled out of his bed into the door of his closet.
How Button’s mom could be up at this time after drinking one and a half bottles of AppleJack Daniels but none the less Button’s mind altering night of drugs was over and the real world was crashing down hard on poor little Button Ashley Mash.

After a harsh comb through the mane and a kick in the rump to get to the kitchen button found himself scarfing down a tasty bowl of carrot bits as he tried the get the most out of his nutritious breakfast before the bus arrives in the next 10 minutes.

“MOM! ---‘ere’s eye----JoyBoy!?!” Button gargled while shovelling a mountain of carrot bits into his already full mouth.

“Upstairs in your room like always” His mother said while rinsing the cutting board caked with browning carrot scrapings. “Oh and what was last night about anyway? Were you sick?, because you were saying a lot of dribble about nothing?” she said with a tinge of doubt to her words.

Before she could get a reply Button raced up stairs to grab his JoyBoy, leaving her to deal with an empty bowl and thoughts to figure out.

He ransacked his drawers looking for his gaming device finding only mountains pencils, batteries and his brother’s stolen PlayPonies. He looked high and low in his trashed room knowing that there were only a few minutes on the clock, he looked and looked and looked till he found…An almost completely empty vial.

A teaspoon, no, half a teaspoon, a bit less than half a teaspoon of ‘Green stranger’ left remaining in the small vial. Most ponies would stand there for a while and contemplate there life and if they would choose to use up the last of this magic drink just because it makes them feel good. But Button is not like ‘Most’ ponies, so without even a second thought he put the glass tube in his mouth and sucked the last remnants of Snip’s fabulous green stress-free elixir down his throat.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

3 minutes was all it took for buttons to race down the stairs, out the house, down the dirt road and to the bus stop. As Button saw the bus coming he was starting to wonder if anyone would notice…anything different, not that it was a problem or something, why should something that lets you leave your problems be bad.

When button approached the first step he started to feel some familiar effects, not as strong as last night, but still pretty affective. Things became bright and happy again, The colours around button started to burst out like a over-weight pony belly-flopping into an empty pool, and finally he began to think clearly.

The tropic yellow of the wooden coach shone bright in the morning sun and the…
“You gettin’ on buddy?” Said The gruff bus driver in an impatient tone.

“….yep…” button casually told him while still starring at the side of the bus.

“You gettin’ on NOW?” the bus driver hissed with agitation.

Button (feeling bored of the colour yellow) hoped onto the bus and sat down the back of the bus and hummed a wintery wrappery toon, however , The Goth ponies had taken claim to the last 3 rows for decades, so obviously to them this was seen as a full frontal invasion.

“Hay, what do you think you’re doing!?” said an slightly short orange mare with far too much mascara.

“….sitting…you ever wondered how we could sit on these things anyway, like our spine’s shouldn't be able to…” Button’s observation was cut short by.

“You think your cool or something, go back to the front of the bus you zombie” she growled with an expression of distain.
“You know you’d actually look pretty cute if you toned down on the make-up “ Button complimented.

The flattery didn't seem to be lost on her as she gave a quick blush then looked to her side at her friend (littered with piercings) and then turned back and replied with.
“Piss off creep”

..Her words went straight through button’s ear and out the other.

Also have you ever wondered how this bus can fit 30 ponies yet there’s only one Pegasus driving, wouldn't the weight like send us falling, unless there's like magic or something holding it up? Maybe…a? gravimetric warps drive?” Button yammered.

The pony with the piercings leaned to the orange mare and said something which actually made button’s heart skip a beat.
“you know he’s trippin’ right, look at his eyes, he’s on the zebra juice” the pierced pony finished then sat back in her seat and raised her book entailed ‘The Catcher In The Hay’.

Button sank into his seat with a grim expression as the orange pony gave a devilish smirk. She slowly extended her hoof to button and said “names ScarletThread”.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

After a conversation with the strong theme of blackmail behind it, button had finally arrived at the daily grind.
“…so like I said finish my creative writing assignment and I won’t tell anyone you’re high as shit, ok?” Scarlet said slowly.
“Fine, but I ain't writing it on no pussy vampire ponies or dribbly gargoyle love story” button sighed angrily, with no reply Scarlet walk into the side shadows of the gym until she blissfully caught her fore-hoof on the side of the walkway and crash into the garden leaving button confused and with no real enjoyment from it.

Feeling defeated but still dazed with green stranger, button dragged his hooves towards the library.

On the way to library Button thought many things (mostly about would make a good ice-cream topping) until he found himself frozen dead in his tracks and starring at the mural along the art room wall. There was a large windigo in light blue and white colours, the background was a night sky full of stars,comets,planets and small twirls of purple which supposedly represented galaxies.
At the back of the windigo was a stream of complimentary colours like a basic rainbow, there was a layer of shimmer over the bright paint shades giving them an over-saturated neon effect which reminded Button of a 1970s movie trailer.

Button took a deep sigh and closed his eyes and pretended for just one second that he was flying, not how a Pegasus flies, more like…Floating. He dreamed he was floating through space, the universe was everywhere around him but he had no one to bother him, no one to tell him bad news or there stupid problems, no one to make him do anything…just him and his thoughts.

Button quickly opened his eyes and grunted angrily at the thought of some pony any pony telling him to leave his sanctuary, he was about to walk away when without thought,knowing or real reason he punched the mural as hard as he could.

“AHHHERRHH!!!” Button shouted as he pulled his throbbing hoof in, taking a loose strip of the mural with him.

“Hey Buttons, whatcha doing there?” said a familiar cream coloured pony with a ink brush on his flank.

“…I…dunno” Button replied confusingly as he began to stare at the white and blue strip stuck on his hoof.

“Well? Are you coming to the group or not?” InkSpot suggested.

“I…..dunno” button repeated as he started to feel the sting of bloody clots forming around his injured hoof.

After a brief but not brief enough awkward silence the artistically driven pony grabbed the half drugged gamer and ushered him towards the library.

Finally they where on there way to the only place button knew was safe in this crazy world, he’s head felt like there was a ball of mash potato rolling around in there trying to mush up his thoughts, he didn't know how long the effects of this potent drug would last but frankly he didn't much care, his body felt like it was wrapped in a cool blanket on a hot night (although he wished he felt a cooler if not freezing wash-cloth on his throbbing hoof).

He wasn't sure how he was going to hide his “Drouzy Condition” in class, come to think of it he hadn't even given it a mashed potato thought or anything thing else, he was focused on the now, what was happening, what seemed abrupt and had no mind to the future….all because of this green goo he poured down his gullet…and he want more, no…he ‘NEEDED’ more.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“…so what do you think button” Rumble said impatiently.

“..oh..um…yeah? that's right...” Button mumbled as he closed his eyes trying to have a nap for the last 2 minutes of freedom.

“did you even hear me, Horde or Alliance, Which is better? C’mon” Rumble asked curiously.

“…mmmm…” button groaned as he fell of the school chair and landed on the green carpet with a THUD!.

“dude, what's up with you lately, you seem…Off?” Inkspot asked.

“Hrmm..errmah….gerrderss” button mumbled with his muzzle pressed into the carpet.

“彼は麻薬の男にだ” Manga said as he pulled his head away from his new ‘vampire huntress V’ novel.

“Manga’s right, maybe you do need to see the nurse?” Rumble said as he pulled Button’s head from the pile of saliva and angst.

“Im fine, just gotta get some rest” Button said as he tried to lower himself back onto the soft carpet.

BRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

“Nooooohohooooooh!” button sighted as he slumped up and walked the green mile to his Software class.

This was definitely button’s favorite class, being that Mr LinusLinux was as brilliant as his mane was unkempt. Not to mention that the class computers were solarware’s with 8 gigs of ram, dvi,hdmi ,vga and SSDs allamoe with GPU grunt for days, hmm, making games might be hard but if Button knew anything it was hardware.

“Leadmont, Birdseed, Billiongates,Wozyjobs,EyeBee’EM,Babbage,Button Mash...WOOOW, son what happened to your eyes, you taking bleach shots with your eye sockets!?” Linus barked.

“I..was drinking mountain dew on my bed the s’morning when it spilt on my face and got in my eyes sir” Button lied quite believably.

“Well next time you might want to consider making an investment in a silly straw” Linus joked as the class gave a trademark cackle.

Button wandered to his seat and sat down trying to draw as little attention to himself as possible, this was probably a bad idea seeing as button was usually as subtle as a giraffe running on an ice-rink.

“OK kiddies, this year its all about the blood of games ,computers, programs,apps and just about anything electronic…Ze Programing.
The class banded together and gave a collective sigheer (sigh and a cheer for the laymare).

“let’s get down to the brass bit, there’s flows and integers…” sir blathered on as button lay his head on the wooden table hoping that
the bell to lunch was 3 hours behind.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button slumped his bloated body on the grass under the willow next to the theater and decided that 4 pies and a litre of cola was enough to eat today, still felt peckish thou. Button had lasted 3 periods without people getting suspicious, even when he sucked on a tube of (non-poisonous) purple paint in Art, thinking it was a grape gulp.

“Time to re-energize” button said sloppily as he lay back into the base of the tree and closed his eyes.

“…hey button…”whispered a voice right next to his ear which made him jump up almost fertilizing the grass.

He looked behind the tree and saw 8bit sitting up against the tree with a sketchbook between his legs.

“Jeez..8bit you scared the shit out of me” Button exhaled as he slid back down against the tree next to his friend.

“I never knew you took drugs Button?” 8bit asked.

…Button froze, his eyes went so wide and round that you’d swear they were dinner plates, his face also gave of a grim droopy frown as he tried to come up with a response.

“W..wwhat do you mean?” button stuttered.

“Button, I live in the city, I know when someone’s on the zebra brew” 8bit said as he began sketching in his book.

“Uh..eh…yeah..yeah your right” button declared pitifully as he softened up against the tree knowing that he had nothing to counter-act with.

“Hmmm so…what you drawing?” button asked trying to change the subject.

“Oh..um, just flowers and other gay stuff, I don’t usually draw anyway.

Button leaned over and took a peak.

“You’re a lying shit, your just drawing on a black and white photograph”

“No I’m not!” sketch defended.

Button took a closer look and saw the small lines of graphite in the extremely detailed image.

“…Dude!…I doubt even InkSpot could do this, come to think of it, this is probably better than his art!” Button said as he looked at the perfect use of shading and depth, the detail made it look like a grey a white image printed on the lined paper in his workbook.

“Why don’t you tell anyone about this man, its amazing!”

“Because…My cutie mark’s a square bit of data not a pencil or piece of paper.” 8bit said in a soft tone which seemed to have a lot of emotion in it.

“And, you could just..” button paused, he began to think about the answer his friend had given him.

“Apparently I have no future with this, so, I don’t bother to make it known” 8bit admitted with a more sad than sarcastic tone as he closed his book.

Button was still silent, he thought deeply about the statement, then he began to think, if he realized he was good at painting could he still be a painter, is it even possible for a cutie mark to change, his Joyboy cutie-mark…hmm, why does he even have a Joyboy for a cutie mark, he was good at all consoles and handhelds, why not an old-school D-pad or even a controller…

“Hello my friends!” said a self-absorbed voice. “awww, are you too having a kissy session”

“What do you want Backslash?” Button groaned .

“Ow nothing, I was just on my way to watch talent thrive, would you like to join me” he said holding in a laugh.

“No thanks backsla…” 8bit started.

“Yeah ok, why not” Button interrupted.

Backslash had been stricken dumb by what Button had said.

“Uhh..well ok keep up then , maybe you’ll learn how the upper crust work” Backslash said finally recovering.

8bit whispered to his ballsy friend “dude, what are you doing”.

“Doing something new, I’m done doing what everyone expects me to do, for once I’m calling my own shots” Button replied almost with a harsh tone.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The inside of the theater had a sort of tardis effect, the inside was huge. Lights hung 3 stories high, and a row of 200+ seats littered the front of the stage. There where high end ponies everywhere, Button felt surrounding, like a pack of wolfs...turds in wolves skin.

Backslash looked highly uncomfortable ushering Button towards his group of quote on quote ‘Friends’, and Button didn't know if he was going to get beaten up or condescendingly yelled at.

The group of 6 starred at Button as he was walking towards them, their faces twisted with confusion and maybe even disdain. Here was this anti-social little nerd thinking that he could even be 10 meters in there presents.

Backslash finally spoke in a forced cocky tone “everyone I’d like you to meet Button Mash”.

Button quickly felt time stop once everypony looked at him expecting a hello, what would he do, oh goddess what would he do, he wished he hadn't decided to take Backslash’s kind-off offer, things got hot, Button could’ve been back in the library talking about ‘Breaking bad’ or ‘Skyrim’ or something, time was running out, 'what do I ..what do I do!' button thought, everypony was expecting him to….expecting him…..they were all expecting him to say a slightly awkward hello, feel uncomfortable and come up with some bullshit excuse to leave….Well Fuck that!.

“Hello” button said as he raised up his hoof and look around sizing everyone up.

The pony in front of him had a confused look but once he saw Button raise an eyebrow, he quickly followed through with the hoof shake.
“Um, so Button what do you do?” said a tall caramel pony with a faded scarf.

Button cocked his head and replied with “Computers you know Programming, coding, building and breaking in hardware, tough stuff, you probably wouldn't understand, its abit complicated, you know".

Usually most ponies would see this type of snarky behavior as insulting and rude but too these prestigious craps button had shown that he wasn't afraid of them or they're bow ties.

“well button, our main star’s about to give us a sneak speak of her next assessment, would you like to watch?” bleated a young ochre coloured mare with a manila streak in her mane.

“I’d love to” Button replied as the group of 8 sat in the front row.

Button obviously knew what was going to happen next, it was too obvious.

The lights dimmed and in the back a voiced could be heard saying ‘you ready, ok, 5..4..3..2..1…your on”.

The southern twang of the acoustic guitar could be heard all round the theater, it was nice and pleasant. Then came in the humming from the main singer which was amazingly catchy.

And finally came the words which filled the room like a spell of smoke, “I dig my hole you build a wall” came the soft voice of a familiar pony.

Button watched as sweetie bell stepped into the spotlight, her brilliant white coat contrasted so well with her purple mane, like ivory with lavender.

“I dig my hole you build a wall….one day that wall is gunna fall”.

“..Amazing isn’t she” BackSlash whispered as he also stared at sweaty with a uncomfortable amount of Awe.

“Yeah, she’s pretty good” button said as he shifted in his seat, but Backslash was too occupied by the image on the stage.

“Come build that city on a hill, come build that ci-i-ity on a hi-ell, someday those tears are gunna spi-ell” she sung so perfectly and on key that button was starting too loose track on where he was, her words where lased with magic, and the magic was working.

She open her eyes for a second as she was about the go into the chorus, her large jade green eyes skimmed the room, until she dropped them hard on button. “so..oh build that wall and build it strong coz, we’ll be there before too long” she lost the first note as she was obviously spooked, but she picked it up so fast that you’d probably thing it was just a glitch in the mic.

She came into her own as she sung (thou looking slightly agitated), it reminded button of when she used to sing to him when he stayed at her house.

As she finished singing everypony cheered, whistled, clapped and went wild, the room was ecstatic with praise.

“She’s amazing isn't she” Backslash boomed at Button.

Button finally said with a heart full of fucks to give “…eh, I've heard better”.

Part 4 : Mana Drain.

Part 4 : Mana Drain.

“Shopping’s done…cleaning’s done, dishes done…financials...all under control…Well what the High Fuck do I do now?” said a rather bored Karin (Nurture) Mash.

“Time for a break I guess” she said as she wandered out of the kitchen towards the living room.

To the far left of the room next to the TV was a wooden drawer with an old sleek black record player covered in various Band stickers, she opened the drawer below it to reveal a large collection of rock & roll records from age long past, she glided her hoof along the spines of each alphabetically labelled Album till she reached R, she gave a nostalgic sigh then proceeded to carefully slid out a black and yellow stripped Album labelled ‘The Rolling Stones: No Security’ and gaze at it fond-fully.

“This takes me back” she said quietly to no-pony in particular.

After taking the record out of the album and placing it on the record player she soon put it onto track 3, called ‘Gimme Shelter’.

As the song began she wandered towards the cupboard and reached for a bottle of fairly expensive scotch, as she poured the brown drink into the glass cup the Singers voice began “Oh, a storm is threat'ning my very life today, If I don't get some shelter, Oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away”. She hummed to it as she sat down on the couch and flicked on the TV to a fairly low-brow vulgar piece of entertainment. She muted it and closed her eyes and began to enjoy the atmosphere she had created for herself.

“Remember when we got this album honey…..” her eyes opened and then dampened at the thought of her forgotten husband, she felt a tear brewing.

“Still not as good as ‘Back in Black’ thou” she announced as she raised her scotch in a toasting form then drunk it slowly.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The drink was quite disgusting, considering Button wasn’t in too soy (or latte’s or basically anything that said non-fat), he couldn’t gulp anymore of this foul liquid lest it come up and coat the ground before him, He gathered all his strength and slowly pull the froth away from his mouth as to make it look like he was done sipping his delicious free drink that had been graciously offered to him by one of Equestria’s most pretentious.

“Good isn’t it” asked Backslash.

“Indeed, (*ehugd*) but not really strong enough for me” button said almost upchucking onto Backslash’s face (though it would probably then be considered Fine art or post modernism).

After sweetie’s stellar performance the bell for last period had run and now Button was wandering to Information & Technology with Backslash and chatting about if ‘Jaws’ is the greatest movie of all time (p.s-it is, no movie has made people fear something for the rest of there life).

“Well this is my stop, oh and um…thanks for the invite to the theatre Backslash” Button said trying to hurry inside.
“You’re Welcome; you seemed to really make a splash with the troupe, maybe one day well consider letting you watch us act” Backslash replied with a less cocky and more nicer tone.

“I thought you were a Writer?” Button snarked politely.

“I’m a jack of all Trades” said Backslash with a lace if not a chain of pride.

“We’ll when it comes to Acting I’m a jack of all shits” Button joked.

“Eh, it’s not that hard if you kind of just? Disjoint yourself from reality” Backslash replied.

“…sorry, I’m not really in to that, hehe” button said hypocritically and soon he was saying his goodbyes as he went to class and though about what had just transpired during lunch.

^^^^^No, no,no! What DID! Just happen?

Button though hard about it as his Mr Screwdriver started to yell at him to get to his seat. For once button did the impossible…he broke the rules to change the rules, maybe this would even work on the Goths and the scones and ….. Oh goddess the limits he could reach, to anyone else this would seem like just going up and talking to people… but within this high school hierarchy it was all about classes….and he was going to become Lenin.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As the afternoon bus arrived at the front of the school Button felt a tinge of sickness in his stomach (not to mention the blaring head-ache rattling in his skull), the drug had worn of around 12 pm and button knew it, he felt sort of scared, not having that shield around him, it was like a numbing agent that help him forget the status quo.

“All aboard!” said the bus driver which after a long hard think, Button will now come to know him as ‘Scruffy the bus driver’.
As if muttering ‘Open Sesame’ the Goth ponies (including Scarlet, who now had a black eye) had finally emerged from the piles of cigarettes and angst from which they dwell and now began to ghost into the bus like a group of fish from hot topic. Button wasn’t sure if he would be able to break that crowd yet.

Maybe it could wait, at least until he had another hit…but how’s was he going to get that hit, snips isn’t coming back to ponyville anytime soon, not to mention it wouldn’t be free of charge next time he asked, But he did mention something about a club..”Hey Button” sweetie said behind button’s back.

“eep” button squeaked as he flung around with a look of astonishment and hysteria.

“Guess you’re still as jumping as always…” she said with a uplifting if slightly bored tone.

“Uh..um sweetie…wha..what’cha doing” Button asked with a head still full of mash potato.

“it’s…um, about lunch, look I’m not going to pretend I know what’s going on inside your head, but…hanging out with Backslash and the others that’s pretty…Ballsy and…well it doesn’t really seem like you?” sweetie stuttered as the Scruffy once again noticed Button’s lagging.

Button’s face in reply was something of agitation and a feeling he had just been disrespected in a number of ways.

“Not to say you don’t have balls…I think we both know that…you…do...hehe” She quickly retorted as she made this situation increasingly awkward.

Button had finally come up with a reply to this uncomfortable situation.

“Well, Backslash offered an invitation to the theatre…and well…I took it”.

“ Oi! JoyBoy get ore’ ass on the bus!” Scruffy politely interrupted.

“Oh, well I better let you get going…oh, did you like the song” sweetie asked with a lot more politeness than Scruffy.

“Yeah, definitely, Zia’s Song…that takes one hell of a voice” Button replied as he backed into the bus.

“I know, hey…that’s for not making things weird” sweetie said with a slight grin on her face.

“Thank you for reminding me I still have balls” Button joked genuinely.

“hehe, someone got to” she replied with a bright chuckle which lit up her face.

And with that Scruffy grabbed Button and through him as far back as possible.

Button (finally feeling happy for hoping on the bus and not incredibly awkward or incredibly high) strolled to the far end of the bus and sat down next to a Goth Pony whose mane could only be described as ‘Death Spikes’.

“What was that about” asked Scarlet who slithered her head over the seat.

“Eh, idle chit-chat” Button retorted.

“You know that chick?” inquisitively asked

“Yep, she’s my Ex” Button said without a hint of sadness.

“Damn, Lucky shit” she joked as she reclined back into her tattered bus seat.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The ride home was the most pleasant one he’d seem to ever have gotten, eventually he started to made small talk with ScarletThread over how she wanted her story done (which usually ended in her saying ‘Made it darker and less cutzie’) not to mention that Death spike was actually studying advanced Arcane Sciences (which usually ended in ‘Shut your up Ill form a lightning so far up your ass!’.

“…Just make the heroin an adventurer or something, it doesn’t matter” Scarlet said.

“Whys it always A mare who’s the Hero….why can’t a Colt ever save the day?” button chatted.

“Because it’s a sexist world; deal with it, plus that would mean you’d have to completely re-arrange her motivations and story arch” Scarlet replied.

“I’m just saying, this Idea of your just sounds like a rip off of Tomb Raider” Button was cut off by her raised tone of dis-like.
“NO! It’s not; it’s about a female survivalist who stumbles into the ruins of an ancient zebra temple!”.

“Answer me this…is there raptors in it?” Button asked with condescending yet high and mighty tone.

“…..Fuck you……ass” she debated with the upper hand (at-least by what she thought).

“Well I guess you win, because here’s my stop” Button playfully said as the bus landed on the dirt road.

Button grabbed his saddle bag and said goodbye to Death Spike (who literally replied with a ‘hissssss’).

“hay, remember to write it WITH the T-rex as well, oh, and…your pretty cool Button…for a drug addicted one dimensional Reclose”

“hah...A simple C’ya would have sufficed” Button replied as he was grabbed by Rumble and herded off the bus.

The two friends made their separate ways and soon button was walking the dirt road home looking forward to a long rest …until he heard the commotion and distorting guitar.

“You shook me all night loooong!” cackled the large group of 40 year old mares inside buttons home. He knew what it meant…Mom’s having a party, and he wasn’t going anywhere near that.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The Ponyville lake was quite beautiful in the silver moonlight, there was no breeze in the air except for a slight chill which occasionally jumped up button’s spine as he starred across the still water, he had been sitting there for about 4 and a half hours just thinking about school, himself and other ponies he liked or fancied, he finally felt safe enough to talk to himself.

“Well…Hello Button?” Button said to Button
.
“*sigh*…you…you kinda… wish bro was back don’t you…,yep, well why doesn’t he come back?, because Dad’s gone and Mom’s a wreck…Well why do you stick around, do you really think I’d last a second out there, probably if you tried, I can’t!, why?, because I’m anti-social and I hate people, c’mon button tell yourself the real reason…..fine…I’m scared, scared of what?, everything, like?, money and housing, and?, what do you mean, what are you really afraid of, that’s it, c’mon Ashley you know yourself to well, erm…I’m scared of… relationships”.

The entire lake was silent except for the faint buzz of beetles in the reeds, no one was watching Button but it sure as hell felt like the world was there gawking and snickering at him.

Button started again.

“What do you mean relationships, I’m afraid of them, why?, because I don’t want to change my lifestyle for them, plus?, plus you have to always have to have something interesting to say all the time otherwise it get awkward and then they leave you”.
Button was silent for a few moments as he built up the courage to say what he was about to say.

“…what about Sweetie, what about her?, you never had any problem with talking to her, that’s because we had known each other for a long time, Button we both know the question you want to ask yourself, I know, so say it, fine…She left me because I’m as much of a wreck as my damn mother!”.

Button was weeping now as his tears rolled of his face and hit the lake like shards of glass.

“She did love you, I loved her too, but she left you all the same…why?, because I had a brain fart the night she visited, you were in catatonia, I was fucking sad! That’s what people do when there sad! They show it in ways!, why didn’t you tell her that?, because…she dumped me the night after…, you could’ve talked to her…but instead you ran off and just left her there, she wouldn’t have listened!, yes she would have, like when?, like when you had that awkward sex then didn’t speak to each other for days after that, we were 14 we didn’t know what that shit was, she still stayed with you because you both talked it through”.

His face was torn with lines of tears, his heart was aching, his brain wanted to scream so many things; HE wanted to scream so many things.

“…Do you think she’d take me back,…Button we both know the answer to that, I know…I’ve just wanted to say that but never got the chance, its ok, Button?, yeah, Am I crazy?,…Euyup.

Button raised his foreleg and dragged it across his eyes trying to catch every last tear. His problems would seem so …unworthy to most people, but Button just wanted someone to talk too, someone who would listen, even if it was himself.

Droplet of rain started to pitter patter against the mirror lake and gave ripples all through its silver body. In a matter of seconds the rain picked up and Button was soon drenched (even more than he was before). He sat there for a long time still deep in thought as he sheltered between the wet strained of his mane.

“Rumble said something on the bus about draining the clouds tonight” Button said as he gave a pity smile to himself.
“how cliché’, raining as I fucking weep” He mumbled.

Button picked up what was left of himself then wandered home as the mud stained his hooves and the rain drove shivers all up his body. He stepped through the front door and tried not to notice the drunk Mother Mash singing along to AC/DC, up the stairs, past the drunk Ms Carrot Top, through the crowd of old women smoking outside the bathroom and finally…safe in his bedroom; and not a single woman in sight…How depressing.

Button wiped himself down with the same towel he’d been using over and over for the past 3 weeks and wandered over to his computer. It was too crowded to watch porn, so might as well get some work done. *click* open Game Maker *click* ‘MAKE ‘*click*’New’…name file ‘ButtonMakesAthing1.

“….I got nothing” Button said to himself softly.

He flicked off his computer and just found himself Contempt with lying on the floor.

“Jeez…things are going pretty crazy and its only a few days…what’ll tomorrow bring?. Button asked as the closet door TWACKED! Open and too Drunk mares covered in lipstick fell down onto each other.

“What!....ms Bon Bon…ms Liara?..*sigh*...you know what…I aint even gunna bother, I don’t care, I don’t even fucking care anymore.
Button bitterly pulled his StarWars blanket onto him and closed his eyes as the smell of sweat and strawberry lipstick filled the room.

“Hay Button” he whispered to himself.

“Yeah”

“You just lasted the whole day with playing a single game”

“When you play the game of High School you either win or you die…” button giggled to himself as he couldn’t keep himself awake any longer.

Part 5 : Splash Damage

The Hot Morning light that Button was accustom to waking up to was gone, replaced with a dim grey cloud cover that emanated depression with every second of its existence. Button knew that today was either going to be crap, craptacular or super mech-a-death crap, well no time like the present.

Button slung himself out of his bed and avoided walking into the 2 lipstick kissed (or soaked) ponies laying atop each other next to button’s Closet. He carefully walked over and opened the bedroom door and the smell of vodka and cheap wine hit Buttons nostrils quite hard.

“Ehhhggh!” button gagged.

He took a cat-footed step towards the shower; it was going to be a gamble if it was clean or not considering that 5 Mares were sleeping on the floorboards like stacks of dirty laundry. Button jarred himself through the door, the Bathroom seemed to be quit untouched, usually when Button’s Mom Threw one of her ‘Get Togethers’ he’d expect to see the inside of the Toilet and the seat to be caked in various amounts of Vomit and cheap liquor as well as the inside of the shower bedding around 3 (to even 11 at one point) Old Mares lying Pass-out drunk.

“Anyone in here?” He whispered as to make sure that he wasn’t going to get shanked.

No reply.

“Thank Celestia” Button said as he let out a long exhale.

Hot Water blasted out onto Button’s caramel Coat, the sweet warm relief almost made him collapse into a deep trance.

“…Hmmm…Hmmm…..Come build that wall up to the sky…..Come Build that wall to the Sky-eh-y…..someday your bird is gunna fly….” He must admitted He did enjoy Sweetie’s song, it was such a well done song with a lush tune and long white legs and an ass that made him go crazy…..

His thoughts were starting to change to a very hot and somewhat romanticized memory of him and Sweetie doing certain things.

Button was starting to loose himself and get increasingly excited as he remised about him and sweetie …..Him and sweetie…..Back when ….Things were different….back when they were better; Excitement turned to sadness.

Button knew that the last couple of days haven’t been the best but damn it he tried to make things better,. He always has Tried to…he…he couldn’t lie to himself this time.

“I don’t try to make things better…I just try to run away from them like a little bitch” Button confessed under his breath. He pressed his head up against the wall tiles he gave a deep exhale and mentally prepared himself, for the first time in a long time, he dared to remember, remember a harsh Memory…The Day Dad left.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
“C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER!!!!!” Barked the Muffled Voice of Announcer as Pit easily stopped Button’s Last stand attack combo attack.

“Nooooooo!” Button yelled as his Character was just taken down by a one hit punch to the face.

“hah, you’ll have to keep practising if you want to stand a chance against me in this bro” Snorted Pit.

Pit is Buttons only sibling, Dark brown and quite tall and handsome with a cutie mark of a input cord wrapped in a spiral, his Gaming skills are only overshadowed by his love for Guitar and horror movies.

“why can’t we play something I’m good at like mare-eo kart” the Young colt asked.

“Because all you do is play as peach and you never play battle mode."

“But I wanna play something Im good at!”

“Well go and get ….”

“You got a wife and kids to look after you ass!!!” Pit was cut off by the loud roar of Karen’s booming tone.

“I’ve got to go tah new Pegasus for the endorsement deal you tart, the blokes Need me tah play” said the Barmy voice of the two colts father as he and her argued once more.

“….C’mon Button” Pit said in a non-chalant tone “I’ll play you at Golden eye in my room”.

“Who is she?!” Button’s mom yelled again.

“Who is who?”

“You know who I mean, the skank you been chatting with every Sunday”

“MY DIET COACH?!” Walton Mash Replied.

“I’ve seen you too together, at the center, on the phone hell even going out and getting coffee” Karin’s Voice was as loud as Button had ever heard it.

“You’re Crazy, she’s my COACH!”

The kids mother went stone cold as she had one more thing too say…things got awkwardly still.

“…You left the receipt for the motel in your soccer bag….’ Her tone was a slow sad one.

“What…I took it out? How could….oh….OH goddess no” He froze as he wouldn’t dare say one more word.

“So your fucking your damn Dietician, well done” Karin stated as she gave a slow clap with her hooves “I suppose you’re going to tell me now that you accidently fell in her”.

Walton just stood there trying to find the words to say something that would save his ass…he had nothing. “…Look…Honey Im sorry…I just, she was so flirty and…I just…lost myself”.

Karin walked right up to him and stared him hard in the eye.

“Get out” She said.

“Honey please I’m sorry…Just …let’s talked about this”

“GET….OUT!”

“what about the boys what are they going to think.”

“Get the fuck out of her Walton or so help me I’m throw you out myself”.

“Karin…..Please..” Walton’s face was stating to droop with sadness.

“Walton….Im not going to argue….leave now. She said with a stern voice which you could tell was destroying her on the inside.

“c…can I atleast say something to the boys?”

She thought hard to hold back both crying heavily and angrily beating the shit of her husband.

“….Fine”.

Pit turned the volume on the tv to max and made sure button was giving his full attention to the game, he didn’t want him to take the full impact of what was too happen next.

“Boys…can I come in?” Walton said as stood there like a sad spectre of the dead.

“Yeah whatever” Pit replied as he took Button’s character down with a well-placed mine.

The room was filled with the overpowering feeling of awkwardness; there are no words to lighten the impact of this moment.

“Um…Dad’s gunna go somewhere for a-little while…but don’t worry Ill be back in no time soon, mommy’s just very angry with a mistake that daddy’s done, so we need some time to…recuperate.

“What’s re-copper-ate?” Button asked.

“It just means that we need time to…calm down…and…think about certain things”

“Dad…are you going on a holiday? Iike when you go on tour?”

“Um…Kinda, this is abit more serious than that…Now listen, things will be exactly the same as if I was on tour”. Walton paused as he actually thought about how many days he had missed in the boy’s life when he was on tour.

Weeks upon weeks of test games, going to the gym, heading to various centers and games…things wouldn't seem to change even if he was gone.

“..We..Well..I.I” his voice was cracked and conceded “I..Just want the both of you too know Daddy Love you both with all hi…his heart” Walton couldn't hold back the lone tear that feel from his left eye “I need you to understand something...If things get worse and dad’s not…around, just please don’t hate me for anything you come to hear about me…I…I…” Button and Pit watched as their father who they thought of as so stoic and strong was reduce to … what he was now.

“…Walton?...” Karin said as she stood in the doorway; her face was red and torch with tears.

“Y..yes dear?” He replied as he hoped that some way somehow; she would tell him anything else than the words he was dreading.

“It’s time”.

The taxi coach rolled up to the front of the Mash Family house like death himself had come to claim.

Walton was at the front gate with 2 large cases full of the life he lived.

“You called bucko?” asked the Driver.

Walton merely nodded as he looked back at his family.

“Dad…I..Im so sorry” Pit said as he looked for the last time at his father.

“No Son, You’ve nothing to be sorry for, Ive dug my hole…now Ive got ta lay in it.”

“Just please don’t …don’t…do’t kill yourself.”

Everyone (even the Taxi driver) was alittle shot back at the statement.

“Son, I swear to Celestia I aint givin’ up on nothin’!”

“…oh dad, button’s ….got something for you” Pit stated as he gave Button a nudge in the rump.

He walked up to his father and presented him his most cherished Item; A gold Ocarina of time cartridge.

“It’s not safe to go along, take this”

Walton gave a warming smile as he bent down and wrapped his arms around his son.

The loving moment had to pass as the Taxi driver kicked up dirt indicating to get a shove on.

Walton got up and looked deep into Karen’s eyes, 10 years of marriage down the drain due to his own libido. She looked a mix of stern coldness and a hint of sadness buy he knew she wasn't going to give in.

With no way to change her mind the boy’s father put both his cases into the back of the taxi, he gave the walk of shame into the back and gave a sorrowful pear at his now EX-family, and with that the taxi flew away into the clouds, where it was going now one knew.

The now family of 3 just stood there…staring into the clouds, hoping that they would awake from this nightmare.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The yellow bus seemed dim and brown in the dark sky as the cloudy sky kicked up into a downpour of freezing rain.

The hurdles of old mares and cheap liquor were gone and now Button is contempt to sinking into his seat like a sack of mopey potatoes.

”Hey man, how ya been?” asked the voice of a mare behind him.

“eh, better…Mum had a little get together last night so I had to pre-occupy myself” Button replied.

“Yeah, heard about that, door jam’s mom went to that”.

“Was she the one lying in the plate cupboard?”.

“heh…I guess thing got abit wild then?” the orange mare said with a tinge of empathy.

“They usually do, mom gets lonely a lot so she gets blind stinking drunk like some!.” Button quickly withdrew what he was about to say ”..oh, um, I mean yeah bit wild”.

“wow…you’ve got some issues bud” Scarlet replied.

“eh, other ponies have had worse”.

“I guess, hey, did you get the story done?”

“Oh shit, na, sorry about that…I’ll work on it I swear”

“Well, you know…I could write abit, then you could write abit…then we could go back and forth.”

“That’s not a bad Idea…You got anything?”

Before button mash could even finish speaking Scarlet ripped a bunch of paper from her saddlebag.

“So this is what Ive written so far…” She had a look of anticipation and eagre hope.

She gave the short-story to button Mash; it’s seemed well made and even had a detailed title.

‘The Quest for the golden hoof – by Scarlet Thread and Button Mash.

Button gave alittle smirk of pride seeing his name on the page.

‘Liara Craft;
Adventurer, Historian and all around badass. Braving harsh seas and frozen winters finds herself in her most dangerous Quest yet. Will she make it through alive or shall the deep forests and deadly curse of the temple take her life?.

Chapter 1 – Stranger Things

Liara awoke the loud sound of drunken sailors singing shanties and sea-fairing tunes outside her room; she could barely sleep already due to the crashing waves smacking into the sides of the ship let along slurred voices of grogged up Sailors singing out of tune.
She lifted herself out and searched the cabinet adjacent to her bed for her hair band, she felt around the dark space; finding a clip of 9mm bullets (plus 9mm pistol), a map, lighter and finally the most important asset, her lucky black hair band.

After preparing herself she soon left the warm confines of the cabin to the chilly crew’s quarters of the SS Hoofrot.

“And I told you! If you keep whinjin’ about the gangrene then I’ll cut it off mah self!...”

“Captain Barnacle!” Liara said to the large bearded colt.

“How long till we reach port? It’s been days”

The sea-weathered Captain turned away from his crew member and gave a harsh glare to liara.

“Should be in a day or two if you quite ya friggin’ whining and just shut up for half an hour!” his Voice was booming as he insulted liara infront of the whole crew.

She gave a looked which indicated that he wasn’t going to survive next 5 minutes, he returned the look with his own, the both sized each other up for what would happen next.

Liara jumped at him in little more than half, both fell crashing hard on the floor in a tumbled mess.
“AHHHH!” Scream Liara as she was grabbed by Barnacles Large forearms.

He layed in to her, she tried to get away but he had firmly planted his rump on her stomach.

She begged and pleaded with him to stop but Barnacle showed no mercy.

“Stop Stop!, I swear Im going to pee-hee haha” Liara shouted as The Good Captain pocked into her body and armpit with his hooves.

“Say Uncle!” He boomed as he tickled her uncontrollably.

“haha..hha..ha ok ok!, Uncle Uncle!” She begged as her poor body couldn’t take anymore.

“Ha, I win again kiddo!”

He grabbed her hoof and lifted her up. Barnacle was a dear friend of her father and had always sailed him off to all his various adventures in the past, times may have changed but his love for her father and family sure hasn't.

“So anyway Lilleh , We should reach port Alka’van in around 13 hours, after that I’ll take yah to the old campsite in the jungle, ya father said the temple was due east of there.

“Good, have we got the crew prepped?”

“Most of em, a little few got infection from the seawater though”

“can they still dig?”

“it wouldn’t much matter,That temple is nothing but rubble and skeleton bones, you’re not going to find much there”

“I said CAN they dig?

“Well yeah, they can, they wont be much happy bout it but I…

“Do we have all the equipment?”

“Eh..yes, in the cargo hold along with the firearms you insisted on bringing.”

“Last Time father came to this place his stay ended when he was stabbed by natives”

“Old bugga didn’t die thou..Hehe ya know it kinda reminds me of when….”

“Supplies, have we got them aswell”

Her voice seemed very demanding towards the old Captain, be it anyone else he would’ve soon had them picking their teeth off the floor.

“…yes Liara, we’ve everything you requested”

“good..good, we need to find this place…we need too”

“Lilleh, all ya father ever found was Brocken walls and 1000 year old stiffs in the dirt”

“I’ve gone over the sources and evidence hundreds of times, I know there’s something there….I’ve got such a strong feeling about it…it’s got to be there.”

Barnacle looked at the determination in her eyes, she needed this for the sake of her father, he knew what this expedition meant to her.

“heh…Such is the will of the Crafts….All Right Colts!, Get some sleep, Tomorrow you’ll be sleeping in the trees!”.

….

….

“So…what do you think?” Scarlet asked with the same look on her face as when Button started.

“…it’s great, got some editing problems here and there and structure issues, but other than that I’d gladly read it.”

Her eyes lit up as she grabbed the story from Button’s Hoofs and shoved it in her saddlebag; she was going to explode with joy…like a big…joyful melon.

“Ok, now you write the second part” She demanded.

“Oh….Shit” Button replied with wide eyes.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The bus parked up to the curved; grinding the sides against the cement and making a horrid sound of metal guard against rock.

“All off!” boomed the Gruff voice of Scruffy.

The doors opened up and to the delight of the Goth ponies was a harsh storm before them ripping down rain like a dark hail of bullets.

The ponies were hesitant to get there flat-caps and hair extension wet.
“I said Off!”

Soon everyone was going one by one, racing the black overcast trying to make it to the safety of the school.

“Just Great, good weather, but who cares, shit just piles on my day ” Button bitched.

“Oh shut up, your always whingeing about something, just shut the hell up enjoy something for once”

What scarlet was saying impacted on Button way more than she’d think, he’d always thought it, but he just wanted someone to tell him, when you spend enough time with yourself then you tend to desire things, some want money, others want the love of another; Button just wanted a bit of calm and a round of mare-eo kart, He was simple like that.

“You’re Up Girl!” Scruffy yelled as 2 teenagers were the last to go.

Scarlet pounced of the bus and ran full pace towards the gym, the rain drenched her in a matter of seconds, she looked nice wet, her strong legs kicks across the dirt and that mixed with her heavy wet tail made it swing side to side giving Button just brief glimpses of her…Oh no.

Button ripped out of the bus and stopped dead in the rain, the frozen bullets calmed his extendedly awkward moment which if he was a minute to late the whole front of the school would have noticed.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

After a minute or two he managed to quell his body’s urges and wandered over to the library, Due to the cold wet weather half the school was also inside enjoying the sound of mares bitching about mares and colts talking about how much alcohol they drunk with other colts, Just Terrific.

“Hey guys” Button said to his group who were now sitting down in the isle of biology and chemistry (due to their normal spot being taking by a group of Scones).

A collective ‘Hey’ came from the meh ponies as they sat around looking miserable.
“Is my mom still at your house?” asked Rumble.

“yeah, I found her Sleeping in the linen closet along with Ms Punch”

“Heh, I swear your mother throws the best raves, atleast for the old mares”

“You’d think she was a drunken pinkie pie by the way she parties” announced Inkspot as he gazed away from his now borrowed book on Mare Anatomy.

“Probably, although it’s not so fun when you find 2 mares procreating in your closet”

“…hold on, did you just say NOT fun, that sound fucking awesome, what are you talking about”

“Maybe the first 2 or 3 times…but on the 6th one you tend to not like the smell of sweat and vagina…especially when you’re trying to sleep”

“Um…You could just ask them to leave, you know…” whispered 8Bit as he was co-reading a manga with... well you know.

“Ah, but I’m just so gosh darn polite” Button replied with a sarcastic tone “but seriously, they tend not to listen much”

“You could Play Polka Music really loud on your computer, that should annoy them enough to leave and go fuck somewhere else” stated Sweetie Belle as she emerged from the movies and Music isle.

“Um..yeah, I’ll Definitely try that next time..”

Button was abit shocked to see her just casually stroll into their conversation.

“anyway, Thanks Rumble for buying some tickets for the show” sweetie announced.

“Couldn't afford to miss it, Scoot’s been yapping on about it for the past 12 of hours, ever since she found out.”

“Whats this about?” asked Inkspot

“we’ll Rarity…Oh Button, is she at your place?.”

“Laundry room, lying in the hamper” he replied casually.

“ah, anyway, Rarity pushed my audition at the cabaret club in Canterlot, you know, the one near the Metro station? Anyway and now I’m going to preform there Saturday night….It’s gunna be great!, just…It’s my first real show…I’ll be a professional finally” sweetie said with a joyful squeaky voice.

“Can’t wait to watch it, I know you’ll do fantastic”

Sweetie’s face was red with excitement as her voice turned into a balloon losing a lot of high pitched air.

“I saw the place, huge stage, like 500 seats…catering…fucking catering guys!”

She was going to explode.

“How much are the tickets?” Button asked

“20 casual, 60 family…elderly get half off casual price, you can’t buy them direct from the club or buy some at the front office”.
“Saturday…hmm.. That’s in 2 days from now ...” sweetie spoke like a advertisement.

“... it’s on at 7pm and goes till.. let’s see.. I’m last act? That’s around?..9pm. so it should end at 10.”

“Cool, I’ll see if I can go”

“I hope so, aswell as all of you…go buy some tickets”

“Will Do” replied Rumble.

“Fucking catering..Im moving up in life” sweetie belle finished with as she walked back to her group.

Button whispered in 8bits ear.

“Can I have 20 bits? I’ll pay you back”

“ow, now you need money! ,hmmph…yeah...here’s 50…I want change thou.

“KK” Button replied as his hoofs filled with 5 bags of bits.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As Lunch was soon to end button raced to the front office, its cold interior was expressed even more with the full-day storm.
The front office consisted basically of a huge glass window (Which showed off kind of a display piece of the inside office, teachers and workers waddling around life a zoo exhibit) and the pathway to said exhibit.

*Knock Knock* as button tapped the glass hoping for someone to answer.

“Use the Bell!” screeched one of the workers.

“We’ll excuse me princess!.....*Ding Ding*

“What!”

“Can I buy a ticket to the show at the cabaret club on Saturday?”

“that’ll be 20 bits”

“k here” button replied as he handed the lovely worker 2 bags.

“and here you go, now get out”

As button picked up his ticket and began to move towards the door it slammed up as a Cute Mare with a little less eye liner ran in and knock knocked right into button.

“OW! Watch it! You Fu…Oh hay Button” Scarlet said as she rubbed her head.

“Hey Scarlet” button replied as he did the same.

Her eyes centered in on the ticket hanging out off his mouth.

“Oh…Are you going to the show?” her demeanor now became a strange shyness.

“Uh, yeah Why”

“Just curious, I came in to get one myself”

Button stayed quiet.

“you know…if you want….and…If you’re not going with some friends or something…would you…like to go with me?” Scarlet face looked like that of a scared deer.

Oh Celestia….

Button didn't know what to say, if he said yes sweetie would see them together at the show, she’d think he and her were going out and then she’d forget about him, but… if he said no it would kill any chance he had with Scarlet...who might actually like him! And WANT to go out. What to do what to do!, Choice…Make A choice NOW…say something! Anything! SPEAK!!!!

“YES!” Button mindlessly blurted out loudly, scaring himself and making Scarlet jump in the air.

“oh, OK…I’ll see you there then” She said humbly as a smile was hiding its way in her face.

She quickly bought her ticket and ran out the door just as the school bell was going, they both felt too weird to say anything.

Button gave a large sigh as he recovered from his little brain fart.

“Boy...You got yourself a date” said the Worker lady.

“Yeah…I know”

Button took a deep gulp. he had made his choice. Full of a deep passion for both Mares, he prayed things would just work it's self out...He didn't want to Cease and desist .
"Game over man..game over" He whispered

Part 6 : You Feel Well Rested

Sweetie Belle looked sharply at herself in the mirror, eyeing out any shift in weight or shape,even one sign of alittle excess would drive her mad, she wanted to be perfect she needed to be perfect, as she stared blankly at her figure in the mirror she was thinking the whole time ‘Was that triple cheeseburger with fries worth it’ or ‘should I go to the Gym next week’ . She sucked up her gut and held her breath until her face went red with starvation.

“Bleeeh!....c..come on…5 more pounds, 5 or 6 more and then I’ll be happy ” Sweetie bartered with her body.

“Sweetie! You home!” Echoed Rarity’s regal voice as she entered the carousel boutique.

“Yeah Sis, hey, how was Button’s mom’s party anyway?!”

“Good, I think?, I’m not sure?, there was a lot of wine? And ….. A whiskey filled Washing machine?, It’s all so dizzy?” Rarity stuttered out as she rubbed her head from a bad hangover.

“jeez, oh did you buy a ticket to the show?”

“wha… oh..Oh that’s right darling, of course I did, that’s um?...Saturday right?, you don’t know what I had to do to get your audition through”

“I think I’ve got a few Ideas”

“Well I…What! Oh you Bitch, Get your head out of the gutter…really, I went out for dinner with the judge and his wife!

“oh tag team then?” Sweetie said with a devilish smirk.

“oh!. Well At least I’m getting some!”

“yeah yeah, don’t remind me….I’m serious, you’re like what 30 something?”

Rarity’s face looked twisted.

“Goddess I swear Sweetie your 16 You’re a full grown mare, go meet a colt or something and get married. Lest you spend your later years going out and getting drunk hoping for prince charming…You know, that BackSlash seems pretty well-off?”

Sweetie still kept the same composure as she gazed into the mirror and sucked in her stomach.

“well? I like BackSlash but I don’t know if I like him that much, he’s nice enough but I don’t like his attitude towards people, very douche’ ”

“fine,fine stay love-lorn forever, oh , I made your dress for the show, it’s in my workshop, I hope you like velvet, it’s a touch up of one of my Canterlot classics”

“You serious! It’s finally done…YAY!”

Sweetie raced into Rarity’s workshop and gazed at the finished outfit, it had a brilliant red velvet colour with a lone rose stitching on the each side of the waste.

“I hope you like it, I’m not sure if the waist is right considering you can’t stop fidgeting when I take measurements”

“Rarity…it’s Gorgeous. Thank you!” gasped Sweetie Belle.

“Oh…Thank you dear, though I wasn’t sure if you’d like the rose stitch. Seeing that you wanted plain, I tried going plain but I though it needed…” she was cut off.

“Seriously Sis, Thank you I love it” sweet genuinely said.

“I take it you won’t be at school tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I’m spending the whole day practicing at the club”

“I can’t wait to see you, your finally growing up”

“Thank you Rarity”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button, Scarlet, Rumble and Scoot didn’t bother going to school, each of them where to busy buying clothing for tonight.

Button equipped himself with a black leather waistcoat accompanied by a black trilby with +5 resistance to Mares.

Rumble wore a Smokey suit coat adorned with a silver tie with +2 class and does extra damage against Goblins.

Scootaloo’s apparel is a purple long dress with a pink scare with no states but acts as a buff when in combination with Rumble.

And finally Scarlet fitted herself with a thin aqua coloured dress with no magical features, sure is damn pretty though.

The fellowship of the Friday night show to support a friends dream was formed.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The day passed quickly as they all prepared for the event, all ready to enjoy themselves…and soon, the clock struck 6pm.

Button straightened up his coat as he was about to step out the door.

“You look nice dear, very handsome”

“Thanks mom, should be good”

“You sure you need the fedora though?”

“Mom...it’s a trilby and makes me look manlier”

She shut her mouth and held in a snicker.

“Just…pfftt…have a good time hon”

“I will thanks”

He left his house into the icy air of the outside world; the weather had a chill in it.

“brrrrrrrrrr” Button mumbled and he walked down the road with his collar up trying not to let the breeze hit his neck, the path to the bus-stop seemed long and arduous. Like the 7000 steps in Skyrim.

The late night bus was a few minutes from the stop, button stood there waiting for it when he noticed the outline of a pony walking towards him”

‘Oh shit’ thought button as he backed into the bus-light, ‘They must’ve found out I didn’t pay for Snip’s Product…now they’re coming for me!’, the shape came slowly closer and closer ready to strike. Button tensed his hooves…ready to start bucking. Closer and closer it came, hooves kicking the faint clumps of dirt into the air. Button ready to lay into what-ever it was.
“Hey” Said Scarlet as she wandered into the light.

“ohh..Hey” button replied as he slouched down into the seat safe under the warmth of his fedor..’TRILBY!’.

“You look good, I like you um…fedora?” Scarlet Complemented with pity.

“Thanks” Button said with a James bond-esc smile as he grabbed the fedora of his head and through it far into the bushes.

“Maybe that cut of a statue’s head if you’re lucky” she snickered.

“That’s why they call me Mash…Button Mash”

“heheee” she chuckled under her breathe either from the joke or from buttons pure stupidity.

*BRRRRRRRRRRRP* went the buses horns as it stopped in-front of the duo.

The doors opened and the two friends entered the florescent filled vehicle and left on their way to the cabaret club.

As they arrived across the theatre they noticed the people gathered out the front, there must have been at least 20 other ponies
from school, 12 of them where now considered Button’s “Friends” and leading them was the always perfect BackSlash, but to the left of them was a more approachable group of 2, Rumble and Scootaloo.

“Hey Button…oh who’s your lady friend here” asked Scoot as she embraced him.

“Oh hey guys, this is Scarlet Thread…She’s…..” Button was about to say Goth.

“A dress designer” Scarlet said as her cut-off Button.

“Oh yeah, RibbonHearth said you’re the top of the class in textiles” Scoot remarked.

“Oh really” Button snickered as gave a snide look to the apparent dress designer.

She proceeded to elbow him in his sides.

“owwff” Button’s face was wiped to a face of twisted pain but still snideness.

“So when did you too meet?” asked Rumble as he finally stopped playing with his tie.

“On the Bus, Button seemed to be in a sort of drunken daze…so I told him to get away from me”

“Ahh…a story as old as time itself” smiled Rumble.

“6:52pm guys lets head in. butted in Scootaloo as she pointed to the time.

“Yeah, it’s freezing out here anyway” replied button as the crowd started to enter the club.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
“Here’s a table” asked Scarlet as the small group waded through the pony crowds, the giant theatre was holding over 2000 ponies, its roofs seemed to touch the heavens as red curtains filled the dimly lit club like large…red curtains filling a dimly lit club.

“That’s perfect” said Scoot as they all took their seats.

“Imma go get drinks? Scoots vodka, Button? You want Scotch?

“C’mon man you know I hate alcohol, just get me a coke” Button replied.

“Living dangerously aren’t you….hey,Scarlet? Drink?”

“Um…a think I’ll just have a lemonade”

“You sure?” Rumble asked.

“uhh..Fine, with a little bit of vodka in it”

“okie dok, and I’ll have a beer” he said as he faded into the crowd.

“sooo Scarlet, how long have you and Button known each other?” Scoot asked trying to make small talk.

“Hmm..2?..3? Days?” she replied with a half-smile.

“Wow…you must have made some serious waves then”
“I’d like to think so…as long as he remembers to get working on our story” she remarked as she gave a playful glare at Button who seemed to be gnawing on the side of the table.
“heh..Oh Button, Rumble told me your having trouble trying to get your coach license, Are you still scared about crashing it while trying to drive it with your butt again” Scoot asked not expecting to get a reply but more to revealing in her sick joy.
Button began to hit his head against the table.
“phhhtt..What!” Scarlet laughed out.
“hehee..Well ya see…when Rumble got his old yellow coach he let Button have a go and…
Button’s hits began to turn into slams.
“ok ok phheh..Ill stop..”
“thank you!” pleaded Button.
“hmm…tell me button, how does one drive with one’s own ass?” Scarlet jokingly scoffed.
SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!...Button was getting woozy.
Thankfully Rumble returned and the show began.

The first act was a soul rock band that played old ‘journey’ songs.

The second was a zebra comedian with a high pitched voice.

Finally we were to the final act of the night….Sweetie.

The lights dimmed and everyone went silent…except scoot who was excessively drunk.

And soon the music started…A thunderous sound echoed the theatre followed by the piano light key presses.

Sweetie began to cast her lyrical spell on the audience.

“This is the end……Close your eyes and count to ten, feel the earth moved and then….Hear my heart burst agai-ain…”

The whole theatre became encapsulated by her brilliant lyrics.

“for this is the end……I’ve drowned and dreamt this moment….so overdue I owe them…..swept away Im stoooooleeeenn…..When the Sky Falls when it crumbles…we will stand TAAAALL and face it all Together.”

Sweetie had caught the whole Crowd hook, line and sinker.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

By the end of it everyone and there Granma’s kitchen sink was clapping cheering and going wild (none more so than BackSlash, maybe scoot if she was passed out on the table) so it only made sense that after that everyone was going to congratulate her.
“yeah ok just…..move please…can I just” Button was getting pushed and shoved as he tried to make his way to sweetie, but it was no-use…everyone else had the same Idea.

“Finally” exhaled button as he made it to the door, one problem, big big bouncer colt.

“Miss Belle isn’t seeing anyone no more, sorry sir” he said with a rehearsed tone.

“I’m a close friend of sweetie, ask her”

“nice try buddy, pretty boy already tried that, I told him to shove it, so guess what…SHOVE IT!” he boomed.

“I just need 5 minutes to tell her…..” before Button could finish he was picked up and tossed across the backstage.
“NOW BEAT IT!”.

Button finally accepted defeat and limped his way to his friends outside, broken and bruised.

“Well Imma take scoot home and get her to bed” groaned Rumble as he slung her forearm over his shoulder.

“Ok, me and button came here on the bus anyway, we’ll be fine” Scarlet replied as she helped Scootaloo onto her feet.

“heeey Rumblyyyy…when weee get homeee Immmah ROOCK YOOUR WORLLDDD” Scoot rambled.

“Yes, yes I’m sure, just don’t pass out and die babe” Rumble jested as he hailed her of to his coach.

“Byyyyeee Scarrlyyy….nice meettiingg yooou” Scoot muttered on her way.

“Hope we meet again” Scarlet said as she waved goodbye.

Button hobbled out of the theatre.

“Shit, must have been one hell of a congratulations then” she said.

“Couldn’t get to her, the guard just didn’t see eye to eye”

“Well that no luck...” as she spoke the midnight bus had arrived to take them back.

“Well that’s our ride…you want to head now? Or do you wanna stay behind and see?” Scarlet spoke as she wandered towards the bus.

Button just stood there staring through the open doors of the cabaret club.

“Sweetie….I….” Button mumbled to himself.

He turned around and looked at Scarlet, she was looking at him with a sad puzzled look on her face, she knew what was going on.
Button had to made his choice now…make your decision Button, no DLC to fix this one, Choose,choose,choose,CHOOSE! NOW!.
….
…
…
he walked through the open doors…he had made his choice, the bus doors closed and Scarlet was on her way home…with Button Mash.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button and Scarlet stepped of the bus, into the chilly night air with nothing but the gross incandescence of a lone bus light.

“Um, Button…do you think you could walk me home, I don’t really feel safe going alone?”

“errmm…don’t you live 3 blocks….” For some reason button knew the correct response would be to say “yeah Ok”.

“Thank you”

“You’re welcome”

The way to her house wasn’t that far but it sure was cold, the wind howling down the lonely cobbled-stone roads and biting button like a ferrel dog.

They didn’t talk much o the way to her house, more of just looking at what was going on around them, grass rusting, the murmurs inside lit house and the sound of animals running around under the glow of streetlights. Button wrapped himself tight in his black leather waistcoat, the weather was like ice, Sadly all Scarlet had was her lovely Blue dress which offered no protection with a chill like this, Button even wanted to do that cliché thing how you wrap your coat around them but as he kept going to do it A feeling of stupidity wash over him and made him stop.

They finally made it to her house; it looked very downtown suburbia with its brick walls and white porch, like something from Gran Torino. Button was not looking forward to the cold walk back.

“Well this is my house, bit of a hipsters dream” Scarlet chuckled.

“heh, I guess your folks will want to hear about tonight”

“There in Baltimare for 4 days but yeah, the show was great, sweetie has a terrific voice”

“Yeah she was always destined to be a singer, not sure what all that cutie crap crusaders was about anyway”

“Uhg…you’ve no ambition Mash” Scarlet jokingly replied

“Maybe…maybe, I better get going before I fall asleep on the stairs”

Scarlet turned to go into the house when for some reason she turned around against to face Button.

“Thanks for the night button…it was nice” Scarlet said as her mind seemed to be trying to do something while her body wouldn't let her.

“You’re welcome…It was…fun, I really enjoyed myself…funny fun fun” Button replied as he felt how awkward the situation was, he didn’t know what to say.

“I um really hope we can get together again, it was…nice”

“I hope so to, you’re really… cool….you know”

The moment felt painfully awkward.

“Well…I guess see you tomorrow?” she said as she slowly wandered up to her door, trying to find a reason not to.

“Um…I doubt it…Its Saturday hehe” Button’s remark just made the situation sneeringly worse.

“Oh yeah heh…I forgot….well I’ll go in now, have a good night…thank you for everything”

Button was going to turn and walk when he stopped and let out a sigh, “Really scarlet…thanks for tonight,, I …I don’t really have many friends who can really stand m…”

Button was cut off as the orange mare jump across the steps and pressed her lips up against Button’s in a impulsive burse of passion, he didn’t know how to react…but his body did, he leaned forward and pressed his chest up against hers, her lips tasted like cherry lipstick, warm and inviting.

They both stayed there pushing each other up against the porch of her house like to planks of wood , there kissing got heavier and more passionate, both seemed to be in tandem, pushing and rubbing against each other, they were fully in sync with the other as it was obvious neither one wanted to stop, They both finally pulled off as they were in dangerous need for oxygen.
Scarlet panted, she had finally made her move.

Button was also out of breath as it was clear he didn’t mind her move.

They both want to go again but they were both starved for air, finally they were contempt just to press their foreheads and bodies against each other in recovery as they bathed in there hot euphoria.

“.huhhhuhh…I..I’m sorry abo..bout that….” Scarlet whispered while panting.

“…d..dont be…it was…nice” Button replied as he did the same.

They both let out a collective snicker.

“I…didn’t know..I was that awesome…” Button remarked again.

“Well…I guess…I got a th...thing for social awkward geeks…you know”.

Button wanted to go for round two when he realised the time.

“errr….I gotta go, its almost 12” He was about to pull away when she said.

“Would you like to come in?”.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button stepped in out of the cold and into the warm air of the house, giving him and cozy feel, he looked around , the house seemed to be pretty small, a kitchen to the right-hand side and the lounge room to the left, nothing but shaggy rugs and rosewood floorboards ground-wise and a low wood,n,weave fan ceiling wise, a simple yet appealing place.

“you want a coffee?” Scarlet said as she stepped into the kitchen and slipped on the jug.

“Got any tea?”

“Black or green?”

“Black please”

“How many sugars?”

“4…maybe 6?”

“Jeez...want some tea with that sugar?”

“2….I mean”

“6 it is” she smirked.

Button wandered around the lounge room, there were pictures of her with her mom and dad as well as other family members, he notice one picture of her looking around 12 with braces on holding a ribbon which was now hanging atop the picture.
‘1st place Textile award to Scarlet Thread ‘.

Soon he looked at the tv cabinet, each shelf was categorized, mom-full of romantic comedies and sop films. Dad-thriller,horror,action and comedy and finally Scarlet’s which just seemed to be full of old 80s and 90s VHS’s of HeMare, Karate colt, ghost buckers, Batmare and Teenage mutant ninja turtles.

“You into the old stuff” Button asked as she walked towards him with a tray carrying 2 mugs”

“yer I enjer” she put the tray on the table “yeah, I like the corny crap, gives me a warm funny feeling or something”

He was impressed, most mares were into shitty lovestory movies, hell, sweetie’s favourite movie was titanic...oh no…sweetie be…..”IS THAT AN ATARI!”

“Scarlet was wise to dodge the unstoppable force of button as he swung open the cabinet and cuddled the wooden console like a loving mother.

“I take it your into that old stuff?” she joked.

Button snapped from his maternal gamer state.

“Oh, um, sorry” Button replied.

“heh Its ok, I only use that thing for pong every 6 months, take it”

Button froze.

“you ok?...Button….Button?”

His brain had snapped.

“Hey Button…You all right?”

“…..you wanna play” he asked.

They played for about and hour, pong,pacman,adventure and breakout, but eventually it was wearing them out, Button closed his eyes as it was her turn, he felt himself tiring.

He almost fell asleep when he felt Scarlet lay her head in his lap, they were both getting sleepy. She slouched over and looked into Buttons eyes and Button did the same to her, she had bright Oasis blue eyes like pools of water, He leaned in for a kiss and she did the same, this time it felt more romantic than spontaneous. The taste of cherry and green tea was delicious. Without realising Button was running his forearm down her beautiful aqua dress until it found itself somewhere more…private.

She didn’t seem to pull away as button began to…well, do what you’d do in that situation. After a few minutes she began to slightly moan with each motion of Button’s hoof. Hell He was just happy to be part of the moment. She was soon beginning to get…slicker.
This lasted for 7 minutes until she lightly hugged his arm and said she couldn’t take anymore, Scarlet slouched up onto her rump and once against pressed up into Button’s chest, this time there kissing was more explorative, using their tongues to search around each other’s mouth, button still found himself abit sleepy until he felt Scarlet’s hoof go up his legs and rub his…..precious.
They made out passionately as she stroked Button, his sleepiness was replaced with…stiff excitement, on and on it went until.
”Stop…I don’t think I can last much more” Button warned.

Without saying a word Scarlet slowly stoped the motions and let go of him, She looked up at his face not knowing what to do next, Button also wasn’t sure what was going to happen , neither of them knew, here they were both primed and ready, yet both too timid to do anything about it.

“Button…do you?..er want to?” Scarlet murmured.

“I..dont know…shouldn’t I…you know have a thing?”

“You wouldn’t need one, Im on the pill but…Im not really…knowledgeable on this, what about you?”

“Well…um..I did try with Sweetie a few years ago…but that didn’t really work” Button confessed.

“Why? What Happened?”

“Well…We were at her house… watching a movie, a movie kids shouldn’t really watch…we both got curious…but”
“What Happened?”

“I…’We’ tried but it was….painful… painful and…bloody”

“Oh…, well…If you…if you don’t want to do it…I..We” Scarlet seemed to be slightly sad.

Button put his hoof on her arm and looked her deep in the face.

“Well, what do you want to do?” he said.

She gave a timid node as she lifted herself onto Button’s lap, they looked each other deep in the eyes as she put her hoof between her legs and raised Button up to her womanhood, a warm feeling could be felt by both of them.

“Are…are you sure?” she asked as they were now in the point of no return.

Button gave a node of admittance as he softly put both his hooves on her sides to soften whatever was to come.

Scarlet slowly lowered herself as they both let out and collective moan….Button closed his eyes as he felt the full sensation…Tonight would be CO-OP Night.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button opened his eyes as the rays of sunlight hit him in the face, for a second he got scared and thought it may have been a dream but as his eyes adjusted and he looked down to see a sleeping mare wrapped around him, he knew it was no dream, he gave a yawn and looked down at what the night had left him, frizzy parted manes, stained patches on their coats and a mutual smell which seemed to be mostly sweat and BO.

He gently released himself from her unconscious embrace, as he stretched out his limbs and finally finished reminiscing , he ended with a heart-warming smirk and made his way to the toilet.

After a much needed piss he stepped out and found scarlet stretching on the couch like a sleepy kitten.

She gave a glance to button and made sure her last one was to stretch out her gets and show off herself to him.

Button gave a dopey smile as he flopped onto couch hoping for a few more minutes of sleep.

Scarlet gave a long yawn and finally spoke.

“Hm…you look happy…”

“I am” Button said with a stupid smile

“Now why is that” she coyly said.

“Coz I’m going to get a beautiful mare to make me breakfast” Button joked as he pressed his head into the couch.
“ugheh….you dick, hey…You want to go again?”

“mmmm..First sleep then jolly co-operation later ….” Button mumbled.

“Hmm…well I’m going to have a shower and get these stains out, if you join I’ll let you … wash me?”

Like a hunter laying bait, Button was powerless to resist the call of booty.

Part 7 : Boss Encountered

The Bright neon glow shone down from the Crimson heart club sign onto two pony’s having alittle transaction, the sky was black and dull as the bright radiation of the Canterlot lights took away what once was a brilliant array of blue and purple night sky imbued with the sparkling diamond stars, now it was left as dim yellow specs called stars and flying red balls called commercial jets,… fitting.

There Bits raddled in their bags as money and product exchanged hoofs in the grit-ridden alleys of Canterlot, free from the prying eyes of the local guard or wandering mare-do-wells, it was a haven for the crime industry.

“Ok there ya go, just make sure it don’t make much contact with sun-light, waters out the potency for you, ya know man” Snips whispered behind the collar of his brown waistcoat, he handed the Purple vile from his pocket to a scrawny looking mare with a large tattoo sleaved down her fore-arm.

“ok ,ok, gotcha ,yeah ,ok, yeah, hey um what type is this??” the jittery young girl asked?.

“Violet love s’called, kicks like a drunk bull but makes you feel all happy and shit”

The narcotic-addicted mare gazed at the vile that gleamed a fine purple glow.

“tight tight, sounds great, ok here, its 200 bits right? Yeah take it, take it”.

“Thank ya kindly, just remember, you didn’t see me” Snips said with a rehearsed tone.

“sure, yeah whatever” jabbered the druggy as she slipped the purple tube in her pink handbag then retreated from the dark alleyway, as she walked across the road a long black coach pulled up to the side, it seemed to be pulled by 2 rather heavy-built pegisi.
Snips gulped, he recognized this coach, hell anyone with half a sense in this town knew whose coach this was, it belonged to ‘The Guy’.

One of the large ponies unhooked himself and rubbed his fore-arm on a large silver manticore hood ornament imbued on the front of the coach, Oh boy.

“Ello snippy-baby” asked the bright orange second thug in an unfittingly happy tone.

“Eh…Hey Rudey, how’s it hanging?” Replied Snips, his throat felt as heavy as a bowling ball.

The Bigger thug named Rocco walked over to the coach-door; the bass-pumping rasta music boomed from inside. Time seemed to stop as he slowly pulled the door open; you could practically hear the ‘foreboding music’ as the guy exited the dark Smokey cavern that was his coach like darth Vader.

Guy was the very idea of calculating and imitating, his hoofs were encased in silver grills and tiny onyx jewels, A Large black banded fedora sat on his dread-locked mane and his body was valed with a huge dark brown coat latent with tiny trinkets and skulls from small creatures, he looked something terrifying standing moderately tall with cold yellow eyes…the fact that he was a zebra didn’t help.

“Snips…me mon, I need to taulk ith ya” Guy creaked with his thick foreign accent, Snips almost shat himself with fear.

“ye..yeah Boss, sure” stuttered the young drug dealer.

The drug-lord walked over, his silver hooves clacked across the cemented pavement while his lackeys trailed behind, surrounding
Snips and edging him deeper into the alleyway.

“I got sum troublin’ news yesta’day” Guy started.

“Got told that you wa seen andin’ out….sample product”.

“s...sample product…sir” Snips replied, as jittery as the drug addicts he sold to.

“eye mon, means product someone gunna taste…then there gunna buy, That’s the only good reason I can Imagine when it comes ta’ givin’ away mah finest batches fa’ free” Guy spoke friendly but behind that calm face was a tyrant, his words were usually hard to understand through his accent but these ones there as clear as glass.
“well boss, um, ya see I was, out in ponyville and I, stopped by that guy I told ya about, you know, the one who got me here in the first place, I just wanted to show him a sign of thanks…ya know” Snips sputtered, he could see the flames deep down in the Zebra’s eyes.

“Sorry snips…but I don’t know, mattah o’ fact, I don’t know why you’d even tink about handing out 1000 bits worth of green ta sum mon who gave ya a few for the bus, just doesn’t seem to compute in mah head” Guy said it the same tone he’d had for his whole life…cool and cold, wouldn’t matter if he was ordering a cheeseburger or hacking at your skull with a machete, he’d always speak in the same tone of voice.

“B..b..but I sold all the others for full price, what’s one vile?” stuttered Snips again, almost pissing himself.

The zebra put a priceless hoof on Snip’s shoulder.
“I’ll tell ya’ what, what is one vile is anyway, ya know what I tink?...one vile is one chunk of power I lose ta keep this business runnin, I tink its one more reason those punnani tweaks need ta start feeling deserving of our product… till they raid our turf and stabs us all ta death…hell, it one more reason I need to start re-thinkin’ ya employment, so if you’ll indulge me, tell me who ‘this guy’ is? ” the zebra seemed in-between a frozen calm and on the edge furious rage as he spoke, so caught up over one vile of Green Stranger.

The two henchmen enclosed around snips, like a wave of black half-priced suit coats.

Snips snapped before they could even raise a hoof.

“His names Button Mash, He lives in ponyville…near all the farms, I think he goes to the high school a few blocks away from here!?”.

Guy’s face etched the faintest and cruelest smile.

“good mah friend,good, I think I’ll get ya to talk ta this mista Mash?”.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button lay on the couch with scarlet lying between him, they were both lazily watching Game of Thrones and eating Doritos, sometimes the best things in life are the simplest.

“Wait for it” Button said in anticipation.

This was a particularly notable episode of thrones.

“What? They all look happy, what’s going to happen?” Scarlet replied with a slight fear dwelling inside her.

“Wait for it!” Button said again in a more exaggerated tone, building it up to its fullest.

“c’mon, look the old people are talking about their marriages and….wait….No…NO!” Scarlet Bursted out.

“Buhahaha” went button as the poor girl saw the horror on the screen.

Scarlet jumped out of Button’s lap and clung the sides of the screen, crying out as her precious House Stark was cut down.
“Rob…NOOOOO!...Kat run….RUN!!...Don’t do it!..goddess NO!” Scarlet screamed in anguish trying desperately to save them…the n came the credits.

Button was rofling on the couch clutching his sides with laugher trying to sing his own rendition of the song ‘”it’s a nice day for a RED Wedding” all the will unprepared for the attack that would soon be upon him.

One minute later…

“Say it!” Boomed Scarlet, pinning Button on the floor, biting his ear as he tried to unsuccessfully wrestle his way out.

“Ok ok!, Im sorry, Im sor…OUCH!...Im sorry” begged Button.

“THIS IS FOR THE KING IN THE NORTH!” chanted Scarlet as she kneed him in the rump.

“OWWW” winced Button Mash as he gripped his back-side and rolled around on the floor while Scarlet casually grabbed a hoof-full of Doritos then sat back on the love-couch flicking the TV to another channel.

Eventually the pain in button subsided and he began to caterpillar his way across the carpet, up the side of the couch and flopped his head down at the edge of Scarlet’s legs. He looked up and cocked an eyebrow at her as if asking for a sign of approval, she looked at him like she was looking at a puppy asking for a treat, she shot him a half-smile, opened her legs up and turned back to the TV, Button slowly moved forward.. Creeping closer and closer till…*SLAM!*, Scarlet locked button’s Head half-way between her thighs.

“Ouch!” muffled Button between her legs.

“look at the time babe” stated Scarlet in a dis-interested tone, releasing button from her kung-fu
Grip.

He looked at the time on the TV then pounced onto his hoofs.

“Shit, 3:30…Mom’s gunna kill me” puffed Button as he slung all his stuff over his back and raced to the door, only remembering at the last second something very important…A good-bye kiss.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button closed the door as he left Scarlet’s house, he begin the trek home when he felt the groining pain in his hips, he had worn himself out with all his…grinding. The time now was abit after 3:30 PM, he woke up at 8, the past 7 hours had flown by quite fast as he learned the in’s and out’s (mostly in’s) of his new best friend.

He didn’t want to go, but he already knew his mom would was going to flip out seeing as he should have been home last night. His mane was still wet and damp seeing as he had just had his 3rd shower ( he really enjoyed co-op showers), he shook it around trying to get of the last beads, the weather was still freezing but to button it didn’t really matter, he’d probably have to say to Karin that he went to stay at Rumbles place or something, then again he wasn’t much of a good liar.

*bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzdd *bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzdd* went Buttons phone.

“Oh shit, Vibrate!” shot Button as he tore the phone from his black coat.

Thankfully it wasn’t his mother, it was his better half.

“moshi moshi” joked Button as he answered the phone.

“Hay man, crazy night right, I had Scoot puking in the bathroom for hours. Scootaloo’s voice was in the background clearly not impressed with the comment. “Anyway how’d your date go last night?” asked Rumble.

“Oh I’d say it went pretty great….” Replied button with a growing smirk on his face.

“So what then,did she atleast give you a kiss?” Rumble asked again, dismissing button’s tone.

“She gave me…a few” said Button using all the composure to not blurted out the lead-up.

There was a silence from Rumble as he tried to piece everything together, out of every thought he had the true one seemed the least possible in his mind, but none the less he asked.

“Did you…go home?”

“nooooo….”

“Did you go to the park?”

“nooooo…”

“Did you go to the arcade?”

Button’s had waited years to have this conversation, the anticipation was killing him.

“did…did you go to her house”

“yeeeees…”

“Did you…”

Button was going to explode, with every ouch of strength he had he answered the question with a straight tone.

“yeeees…”

The silence came again.

“Button Ashley Mash are you telling me you…?”

“FUCK YEAH!” Bursted Button, scaring a mother pushing her pram on the other side of the road.

Both the Teenagers gave a psychic high-hoof to each-other.

“You lucky devil, how did you even?”

“Well, she asked me if I’d walk her to her house, when we got there we sort of kissed, then we went inside….then….yeah…we did it, then again…and again.

“How was it?” curiously asked Rumble.

“Pretty frigging good if I do say so my…” he was stopped by the Screeching voice of Snips bolting towards his direction from his bus-stop.

“Button, Button, Please stop, dude, please” rambled Snips as he collapsed and tried to catch his breathe.

“Uh…Rumble…I’ll call you back” he hung up the phone then went back to the green mess lying in front of him, “what’s the matter dude?”.

“I…I..I fucked up bad buddy, I really screwed the pooch on this one”.

Button’s heart sank back as he already knew what he was about to say.

“The…the green strange man, I should have given it to you!” Snips blurted.

Button froze; he didn’t know how to reply.

“My boss is so pissed you don’t even know, please just give me 500 bits…trust me,”
Button still stood inanimate.

“please, c’mon 500’s nothin’ man, please!, he’s gunna kill me I think…Button please”
“w…Wha….” Replied button sounding like a frightened child.

“He said I shouldn’t have given you that stuff, he’s so angry, like who gets pissed over one vile man!, just give me 500 bits, please, I don’t want to go back empty-hoofed, he’ll get Rudey and Rocco to break my legs…please button!” begged snips, his face was going red.

“I…I…just….LEAVE ME ALONE!” shouted Button, racing as fast as he could towards the false safety of his home, leaving Snips to deal with this alone.

Button slammed the front door closed and dropped to the floor, holding his hooves between his head trying not to think about it, he was home, he was safe, he was away from everyone’s problems.

He forced himself not to think.

“Button Mash where have you been!, Ive been worried sick!” Karin yelled as she thumped down the stairs.

“I uh…I…”

He didn’t think about it.

“I was at Rumble’s place…I uh, stayed there last night…” Button lied…badly.

Suddenly her face went from anger to a smirk in a matter of seconds.

“oh did you….how was your date?”

“uh…good, it went well, she makes dresses and stuff uh ….She lives on the other side of ponyville.

“I bet she does”

Button mother knew in a matter of seconds, Button went red.

“yeah…well…I..” Button couldn’t think of anything else to back up his lie.

Karin started to giggles as her son tried to give his alibi.

“I was your age too….except my excuses were a lot better than yours, I hope you two had a fun night, anyway, there’s some left-overs in the fridge if you’re hungry”.

Button gave a mighty exhale as he slumped deeper into the floor.

“Thanks Mom”.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Rumble stopped messaging and decided to sit back on the couch with Scootaloo and Sweetie, they were watching mean girls.

“who was that babe?” asked Scoot filling her mouth with pop-corn.

“Button, just checking how his night went” Rumbled replied as he gulped down half a bottle of mountain dew.

“oh yeah, who was that girl he was with last night?” asked Sweetie somewhat more curiously than she’d like people to know.

“Name’s Scarlet, Spoke with her all last night, very nice, bit small though” replied Scoot
.
“Oh, are they going out” said Sweetie Bell, downing her own Mountain Dew, trying not to look like she cared.

“I assume so, like, Button did say they fucked last night” casually replied Rumble.

Sweetie exploded in a hydrant of yellow soda water as she showered the floor in drink.

“Oh goddess Sweetie REALLY!” shouted Scoot as she tried to wipe all the cola of herself.

“…*cough cough*…sorry guys” said sweetie Belle as she tried to get Mountain dew out from inside her nose.

Rumble was on the floor laughing as the moment was not lost on him.

“hahaha that’s so classic” he cackled.

“shut up spaz!” shouted Sweetie belle in defense.

Scootaloo was holding in a snicker, she knew that there was a fine line in comedy and anger when it comes to sweetie.

“both of you shut it, I’m trying to watch this”.

They all returned the fabric confines of the couch.

“Gretchen, stop trying the make fetch happen…it’s not going to happen” went the TV as they sat in silence.

“…..so how’d they meet” asked sweetie.

“Tuesday I think, I say them talking when he was obviously high as a kite” replied Rumble.

“So he met her four days ago and there already fucking around….what a whore!” bursted sweetie, she was trying to sound uncaring but each time she spoke she couldn’t do it.

“Hey…she seems really nice to me” intercepted Scoot.

“…sorry…I’m just pissed….”

“About what,…button?” asked Scootaloo.

“kinda…Its more about what happened last night”

The couple looked at her with curious eyes, eager to hear.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The large red curtains began to close in, Sweetie had finished her final song and was ready to go home and get some sleep, until she gazed at the large crowd of people towards stage left, she gave a large Exhale.

“I love your voice”,” your singing is fabulous”, “Please sign my face”, ”who did your dress” spoke the faces surrounding her as she gave the usual smiles and thank-you’s the horde of fans as she pushed her way towards her dressing room.

She grabbed her bodyguard at the door.

“Hugo, can you please make sure no one tries to get in and talk to me, my head is killing me”

“Sure thing Miss Belle” replied the large brick of a stallion.

She entered the large tacky dress room and slung herself down, removing her dress and placing carefully on a hook next to her purse and phone.

“…I’m a close friend of sweetie, ask her….yeah right buddy…BEAT IT!” came a strange familiar voice from near-by, she was too tired to care.

She washed her face and got the make-up off, she thought she’d be able to take a power nap before Rarity picked her up.

She flopped on the brown grandpa couch and began to relax when there was a knock on the door, sis must be here or ready.

“Come in” said sweetie as she was about to grab her purse. She was surprised when the million dollar face of back-slash entered the room; Sweetie put the bag back down and put on her airs and graces instead.

“Hi bash, how’d you get passed the bouncer” she asked with a moderately fake smile, she really was too tired to converse with friends.

“I asked him how much he was making tonight…said I’d triple it if he let me say hello” he replied with a rich grin.

She laid back on the couch.

“So how’d you like the show?” she asked.

“He slid a chair up in front of her and dropped onto it, he was quite clearly drunk.

“It was fantastic, your singing was definitely the high-light of the night” he said charismatically.

Sweetie knew how flirty Backslash was with her, it was kind of obvious and too be honest she kind of liked it.

“Thanks how were the guys?” she said trying to blow hair out of her face.

“Their fine, abit drunk but still fine” he replied, trying to look her in the eyes as much as possible, hoping for that so-called moment.

“Anyone interesting around?” she said.

“brown-biscuit, Mr whippin’ lash, your scooter friend, the janitor…oh and that Button kid” he replied, inching his chair closer to her.

“oh so they did buy tickets” sweetie bubbled.

“Who Did?”

“Oh just button and rumble and that” she chatted.

“does it matter, let’s be honest, that kids he’s got balls but c’mon he’s abit of a shit, why, you like him or something” Backslash said with a groggy voice.

Sweetie was so tired of hearing people say that, she had put up with it years ago, on and off, screw it, it’s over. Sweetie belle lunged over and wrapped her lips around Backslash’s.

He was slightly shocked but the second he knew what was going on his mouth was already knowing what to do.

Sweetie wrapped her arms around him, tasting the apple wine in his breathe, she was expecting something…different from this , but it would have to do, like he was the hottest and most well-set guy in the school, plus he liked her, plus she kind of liked him, why not?.

They’re kissing began to intensify, he pushed her deeper and deeper into his chest….he even got cocky and began running his hoof down her waist…the stomach…then back-side…then WOOOOOOOOW.

She pulled herself off him as she didn’t enjoy the privacy invasion, wiping the saliva of her face.

“What the hell man!” she yelled.

Backslash’s face went from shock to defensive.

“What?, I thought we had a thing?” he shot back.

“That doesn’t mean you can just grab my vagina whenever you want, that fucking weird” she argued.

“Well excuse me princess, I wasn’t the one who latched onto my face”. Rambled backslash, the alcohol was starting to kick in.

“Just…just get out!” Sweetie shouted throwing a bedazzled pillow at him.

“Why...I treat you like a goddess-dam queen and you treat me like this, you owe me bitch!” he roared.

“Interrupting something am I?” harshly asked rarity from the door.

Backslash gave a snarl, pushed her out of the way and left the room in a puff of anger.

“What was that about?” queried Rarity.

“Nothing…lets go home”.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button was stuffed, he could eat another bite
.
“You finished dear?” asked Karin.

“yeah mom…I think I’ll go play some Destiny now”

“ok but can you take the rubbish out…the bags bursting.

“ehhhhhhhhhhh….ehhhh…ok” groaned Button as he slumped of the table.

“Oh by the way, one of your teachers came by and said you’d forgotten to pay your art fees” she stated, making her way upstairs.
“k mom” button replied not really paying attention.

He stepped out to the bin, the moon was the same pure white it had been two nights before, it looked fantastic, like a big shimmerin*BAM!!!*.

Button fell onto the ground in a daze, something had hit him, he soon began to feel his body being lifted up.

“Should have payed your fees mate” said the lackey, slamming him into the boot of an inconspicuous parked couch.

Just as he felt himself passing out he heard a familiar voice say...”sorry bro, I told you this would happen”.

Part 8: You Are Dead

Button Mash slowly awoke in a darkened haze but this time without the morning sun to greet him, feeling groggy and disoriented he tried to lean forward and noticed something funny… he was tied to whatever he was sitting on, his eyes eventually adjusted to where he was; the room around him was dark but not pitch black, the place felt full of a trapped heat that started to make button sweat, he could also smell the faint aroma of alcohol filling the air.

The room soon felt like it was boiling, he could hear vents blasting on full, Button’s eyes began to water as they felt like they were frying like eggs.

He re-opened his eyes and they soon hovered over to something strange in the far corner; there piled atop each other were boxes full of what would appear to be lit-candles?, through the box's slits dim beams of colour could be seen, like there where mini-disco’s inside. The only light he could see was a dark pink shining under the door to the left of him, the sound of colts laughing and glasses clinking could be heard along with the hum of seductive music, where was he?.

“H…Hello anyo…..” Button began to speak before his head was struck from behind; forcing his mind to fling forward and shoot back from the fact that he was tied to a chair.

“shut up’ you shit!” blurted a voice behind him.

Button couldn’t tell what was happening.

“Is Guy here yet?” said another voice from behind, this one more croaky and foreign, there was some sort of duo in the darkness.

“Na, give it a minute, he’ll be here” went the first voice again, in an eerily happy tone.

Button’s heart raced, he didn’t know what was happening.

.”Where am I” Button stuttered.

Button was struck again.

“I said shut it!” Boomed the voice of the anonymous Colt behind him.

This time button didn’t dare lift his head up again, he was terrified.

For a while there seemed to be an extremely uncomfortable silence that dragged on for eternity…like a poor soul waiting on to be strung up on the gallows.

One of the lackeys began tapping his hoof rhythmically while he whistled ‘Take on me’, rightly getting a punch in the arm from the other. As that happened there was a sound of *clack*,*clack*,*clank* coming from behind the door.

“This is going to be fun” cruelly stated the gruffer colt of the two.

Button hearth felt like it was trying to rip out his rib cage, he couldn’t take the silence, it was all killing him.

The door slowly opened, showing a tall black figure behind it.

“Goodevenin’ mista Mash” Said Guy as he floated into the room, his hoofs clinking against the concrete floor with a heavy clack. He slowly wandered right up to buttons face, the smell of tobacco and whiskey was in his breathe.

“so, snips tells me you abandoned his little proposal hmm?, why would ya do that” he said in a parenting voice, clearly enjoying it.

“I…I..” Scratched button voice, he couldn’t talk, who could.

The face couldn’t really be made out through the darkness but Button knew by the voice that it was Zebra in nature, the zebra spoke,“...well that’s as good as any excuse I suppose, I just want you to know that actions ave consciences mista Mash, you could be more considerate when a friend asks you for something, specially when it could have saved ya ass.” Stated the terrifying zebra drug-lord.

“I..Im sorr*BAM!*” button tried to reply as he was struck hard in the face by the zebra’s metal hoof.

*BAM! BAM!....BAM!* each hit was as strong as a baseball bat, breaking his jaw.

“I don’t like ta play games Mista Mash…I REALLY dont”.

*BAM!* the metal uppercut sent 2 of buttons teeth flying across the room and landing on the ground with a *clack*.

One by one the beating began, destroying what senses the boy had, eventually Button started to feel himself slipping away…he wasn’t sure if it was unconsciousness or death…he didn’t really care.

*BAM!* he went out like a light.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Yippee ki yay motherfucker” went the movie on the TV.

“Honestly…Best part of the whole thing” stated Rumble, Scoot lying in front of him.

“I think the glass scene is, like honestly, you’d have to be pretty badass the run through that” Scootaloo replied.

“I reckon I could do it” said Rumble boastfully giving her a bit of a squeeze.

“Yeah right, you cry like a bitch when you get a splinter”.

“Hay…that was one time”

“You talk a big games but your dickless…” she joked.

“Well if I’m dickless that would mean we seem to be doing interpretive dance every Saturday then wouldn't it” rumbled replied, scratching his ear.

The purple-haired mare plunked her hoof over the colts face in amusement.

“Speaking of that, what you think of sweetie yesterday, jeez, one hell of a story”.

Rumble rubbed his neck, clearly having a lot to say on the subject but not wanting to vent.
“I’m sick of all there drama...” Rumble admitted in an arguing tone, he started to put on a very bad imitation ,“oh I’m to damaged to love again, oh she hurt me now I play video games all day, oh he was so horrible I had to leave,” rumble finished interpreting Button and sweetie, “Im sick of their shit”.

“You think they’ll talk it out?” asked Scoot.

“pfft no, we all expect them to be happy and get back together but to be honest does shit like that ever happen…no, they just keep complaining about it” Rumble replied getting slightly angry.

“Plus now that Button’s seeing Scarlet it’s only going to make Sweetie complain more” Scoot added.

“Personally, I think Scarlet will do better for Button than Sweetie, she seems pretty cool…not as…whingey”.

“Jeez babe…you seem pretty snarky tonight” half-joked Scootaloo.

“Sorry…Its just…it seems like where always stuck between there drama…they need to grow up and get on with life” replied Rumble, sinking deep into the folds of the couch.

“Please, seems like there always out to find trouble” Scoot finished not knowing the irony of what was happening.

*BRIIIIIIIIIIIING! BRIIIIIIIING* went rumble’s phone on the table, he got up and answered it.

“Rumble is button there? He left somewhere last night, I haven’t seen him in hours?” cautiously asked Karin Mash.

“No sorry,just me and Scoots…why was he angry?” replied Rumble stretching his arms.

“no, he seemed pretty normal, he took out the garbage bags but never came back inside…I assume he went to your house or his new lady friend’s place….do you have her number?” .

“no, sorry… but she did say at the club that she lived in a big brown brick house on haybreese street...I think it’s a few blocks away from your house?”.

Button's mother gave an exhale.

“Ok, thank you Rumble, tell Scootaloo I said hi” finished Karin as she ended the call.

“Please be OK” Karin said to herself as she put down the phone, grabbed her purse and left the house.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The tap water ran over sweetie’s tooth brush as she finished up.

“Sweetie Belle” echoed Rarity’s voice from the other room, “have you seen my mane-brush?”.

The young girl spat out her mouth wash.

“It’s in my room on the dresser” she replied.

“Thank you…oh by the way , I've got an new apprentice coming in next Thursday so don’t make to much noise, ” Rarity stated, walking into sweetie’s room.

“Any idea who it is?” casually asked sweetie , walking out of the bathroom.

“She’s a young girl around your age, Ms RibbonHeart from textiles recommended her highly”.

Sweetie stopped for a second to think, she had an inkling.

“Know her name” she suspiciously asked.

“I’m not sure…she’s orange, abit small with a cutie mark of a….hmm, Scarlet Thread I think?”.

Sweetie stood frozen with a single twitch in her left eye.

“Oh” she replied.

“Yes, I hear she’s somewhat of a prodigy with sowing and embroidery, she asked miss RibbonHeart if she could get some professional help, I was only too happy to lend my skills. Rarity babbled, brushing her large purple mane in sweetie’s mirror.

"Mmmm" the young mare replied, a thousand thoughts rushing through here head as her sister babbled, she walked over and watched Rarity brush her mane.

Sweetie Belle looked at herself from behind Rarity, eyeing out every imperfection, every little fault with herself, the way she thought her ears were too big, her mouth to small, her mane to pale, her face to long…her waist to wide, her legs to long, her this, her that… she knew no matter how much she cleaned, plucked, washed, shaved, dyed or exercised… no matter how hard she tried…she’d never be perfect, she would never be who she wanted to be.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button re-awoke, this time the room was empty, no noise, no thugs, no vents shooting hot air… just Button and his fear. He tried to wiggle himself out of the bindings but it was no use, he was fitted tightly to the seat, there was no way of escaping.

He eventually stopped at trying to get out, there was no point, all this trapped child could do was think about what would happen next, would he be shot, would they cut off his ears, would they torture him or just get it over with. Button never wanted to die, no matter how crappy he felt, death just wasn’t appealing to him, it’s so….scary.

he wasn’t the religious type either (but then again no-one now a days were) but in this moment he prayed, prayed that there was something after death, some-where where it didn’t just end, a Shangrila, a heaven, a place in the Elysium planes.

“Celestia…Luna…Discord someone please don’t let this be the end” Button said to himself, his tears dripping down his face and hitting the cold concrete floor with a whimper.

*SLAM!* went the door as two large thugs entered, ushering in a shorter green colt in with them; it was Snips, they all stood over Button like statues.

“Looks like the widdle baby’s crying” cracked the thin red-maned thug, smiling gruesomely.

The second thug, the one with the gravelly voice merely said nothing, these were definitely the two from last night, or two hours ago, or when-ever, button couldn’t tell how long he was out.

Snips just seemed to be somber; Button wasn’t sure why he was even here…unless.

“So Snippy baby, is this the twat who didn’t pay,” the red-head asked sneeringly.

The green colt just stared at Button, his long face seemed to have regret on it as he saw the destruction button’s head had taken, after what seemed like centuries Snips who Button had at one point considered a friend, gave a single barely noticeable nod to the lackey.

Everything within the room froze silent as if someone had killed sound itself…all that was heard was movement of a drawn revolver from the large thug’s suit-coat, with an action as quick as a bullet he pressed the barrel up against Button’s temple, ready to fire.

The sixteen year old gamer shut his eyes and bit down hard on his lip, preparing for the nothing, it was game over, all of it, he had never felt such fear, he couldn’t hold in his sobs, he was terrified more than he had ever been before, it was all about to end...

“haha” went the red-head Colt “look, he’s pissing himse...”.

Button took this fraction of time he had to scream out at the top of his lungs.

“I HOPE YOU FAGGOTS BURN IN HELL!”.

The pistol swung and impacted against the young boys face, probably dislodging another tooth.

Button disregarding the pain snarled at the thugs with all the fire of hell in his eyes.

“GO AHEAD FUCK-TARD DO IT, YOU SHIT!, FUCKING DO IT!”.

He was struck again.

”Shut up!” bellowed the thug as he beat the boy, on the last smack Button spat blood on his would-be killer, enraging him further.
The second thug decided to also join in on the beating, punching button in the jaw, but this time button fought back, as the red-head was pulling back for another strike Button chomped down as hard as he could, digging what teeth he had left into the criminal’s arm.

“Ahhhhhh!” yelped the funny man, now not so much, “Get him off!”.

Button had a crocodile grip on him; he ground his teeth deeper and deeper.

With all the strength he had the red-headed lackey pulled button off, leaving a large bleeding wound on his right fore-arm.

*SLAM!* went the door again, a menacing zebra standing in the threshold.

“whats goin’ on ere’” asked the Guy, hearing all the commotion.

The whimpering thug stepped forward, gripping his nasty gash.

“The shit, ow…he took a bite outta me!” replied the red-head, pointing to Button who’s mouth was smothered with blood (half his half lackey’s).

Button glared at the drug-lord with a face full of animalistic rage, spitting out a large ball of the lackeys skin, clearly trying to make a statement.

Guy merely strolled over to the boy and bent down close to his face, staring him in his eyes.

“You don’t care about livin’ anymore do ya mista mash” He asked in a deep somewhat terrifying tone.

Button simply nodded a look of pure anger on his face.

Guy gave the gun-wielding lackey a nod and soon Button felt everything go black…but not like before, this time he had a bag over his head.

For those few seconds button had no idea what the drug-dealers were doing, all he could hear was the opening of boxes and the clinking of glass, what they were….

Button soon found out when the grabbed him round the neck and jerked him backwards.

“Don’t worry mista Mash, this one’s on da house” joked Guy, flooding button’s face with a wave of his product, water-boarding Button in the drugs.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

*tick*, *tick*, *tick*, went the large grandfather clock within the small cramp room.

Scarlet was sowing a large red bluejay outline into a long red dress when she pricked herself on the needle.

“ouch!....shit” she said to herself’ Losing her thread from the eye.

She carefully tried to re-insert it when there was a knock at the door; causing her to drop the needle again.
“errrrr…goddess help me”.

She wandered out of her work room and approached the door; she opened it and saw a moderately distressed mother.

“Um excuse me you wouldn’t happen to be named Scarlet by chance” asked the woman.

“Yes, my Name’s Scarlet Thread, Why?” she replied, slightly confused.

“My name’s Karin Mash, Is um my Son here?”.

“not that I know off...wait…are you Button’s Mother?” Scarlet asked.

“yes,..Button..went missing last night, I thought he might have come here?”.

“I haven’t seen him since yesterday …I mean Friday night”.

“its Ok dear I already know, do you know where he might be?”.

“No sorry…but how’d he go missing?” asked Scarlet, becoming just as distressed as Karin.

“I don’t know…tell me, is he involved with anything at school? Gangs, friends..anything, I don’t know where else to go except the police”.

Scarlet felt uncomfortable as she remember how her and Button met.

“I..think I might have a clue er..m…when he first met he seemed to be…pretty high”.

Karin put a hoof between her eyes and squinted in revelation.

“do you know where he might have gotten it from?...or if he’s got a dealer or anything” she answered, clearly not wanting to say these type of words.

“no…Im sorry…” Scarlet sadly said, just as informed as Karin.

Button’s Mom gave a sigh and put her head up against the side of the door, holding in a breakdown.

“I guess I’ll have to report him missing now” She stated, tearing up slightly.

“here let me give you my number, I want to help anyway I can” said Scarlet as she raced to the kitchen, grabbing a pen and a piece of paper. She wrote down her home digits as well as her cell phone’s.

“um dear…could I use your phone, It’s a bit too long a walk to the station from here.

The young mare ushered the older one in and gave her the home-phone.

The call was not a happy one.

….”yes, yes”….”I haven’t seen him for 12 hours”…”4 Zapapple road, near the lake”…” age 16, he’s got a mocha coat, green eyes, amber mane, cutie marks a Dpad...that's a grey cross”.

“He’s got a tattoo of a triforce on his left under-arm” chimed in Scarlet, biting her hoof as she listened to the call.

“wha…” Karin said for a second before rolling her eyes “and a tattoo of a 3 triangles on his left under-arm, yes…that’s all….thank you so much, yes I understand”.

She put down the phone and sunk to the ground, tears rolling down her face.

Scarlet rushed over and embraced her, causing her to weep in the young girls arms.

The two sat on the floor together, not knowing what was going the happen.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“and yeah, that’s how you draw the frame of the body, usually I use just kinda draw circles and then link them all together then add the detail after I’ve got the basic figure down” said 8bit, showing the 16 people on his livestream.

He looked at the chat bar, searching for questions.

“no, I prefer Cintiqs…there abit more expensive but there pressure pads are alittle less fidgety, that’s really what you need, never get a cheapy” he replied.

He looked again at his audience.

“I’ve been drawing for about 3 years now but I haven’t done any professional work but I do get requests from companies, though I do accept commissions if you want one” he once against replied, switching over from photoshop to toonboom.

“ok let’s try animating him so to get a feel of the movement style”.

“you like it bitch!” yelled a man in the room next to his, he hated when his mother brang work home. He switched from microphone to his music track.

*brrrzd brrrrzd* went his phone.

“hello?” he asked.

“8bit its Rumble, have you heard from Button lately?”.

“no…not since Thursday, why?”.

Rumble gave a sigh, “apparently we went missing yesterday, I’m calling everyone to see if they’ve seen or heard anything”.

“sorry…”8bit admitted, becoming worried.

“it’s ok, I’ll try inkspot” finished Rumble, ending the call.

*BANG* went the door as his mother's customer had left feeling satisfied with his payment.

8bit looked out his bedroom window and saw the Red-maned Colt wander back over to the Crimson Heart Club across the road. His Mother opened the door looking like a mess.

“Honey, I’m going to the store okay, I’ll be back tonight” she said, leaving as fast as she entered, 8bit hated the fact that she always came up with terrible little excuses for where she goes out to secretly smoke meth and goddess knows what else.

8bit flicked back on his mic as he sat back at his drawing tablet, escaping of to his own world, away from this one.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button woke up in the dark room for the last time, he found himself sitting in a pile of his own vomit and drool, the overdose had not been kind to him.

He looked around, the floor spotted with specks of his own blood, a few teeth lay here and there across the ground as well as the multiple colours of seven different types of narcotic splashed and stained the concrete floor. It was only a matter of time now before Guy would stroll in with not a care in the world and blow his brains out…all because Button decided to lend someone abit of change for the bus.

The door opened not with a slam but with a creek.

Button looked up but could barely see through his swollen eyes, though by the silhouette Button already knew who it was, Snips…with a large pair of silver scissors in his mouth.

“Let’s get this over with” said button, ready to go.

Snips wandered over to button like the reaper himself, his face just as somber as before, he angled the metal tool in his mouth ready to cut.

“How fitting” stated button with a weak smirk, his own pal would be the one to cut his throat.

There was no more arguing, no more fighting…..only acceptance.

*SNIP!* went the scissors.
.
..
…
Button dropped dead onto the ground.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^”C’mon” whispered Snips, picking up Button from the floor and slinging him over his shoulder.

“What…why…why are you helping me” asked Button, barely able to walk.

“I don’t know man….I guess I can’t live with myself if I killed someone” Snips hastily replied, wanting to escape as fast as possible.

“Snips…thank you…thank you” said Button, tearing up.

“Let’s just focus on getting out of here, Rudey and Rocco are at the bar, we should be able to get out the back door.

“Thank you…thank you…” rambled Button.

The back-door slammed opened and the two colts stepped out into the alleyway.

Button looked up and felt the evening sun hit his eyes………..Praise the Sun.

Halloween Special Part 1/2

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Halloween Special Part 2/2

As if like a gaming reflex, Button grabbed a pitch fork from the hay bail and ran towards the undead monster, his brain in both ultimate fear and joy, with a fierce jab, Button jammed the farm tool deep into the creature’s face, hitting it directly in the kill-spot.

Sweetie screamed as she saw the creature fall to the ground.

“Oh my goddess Button you killed him!”.

“He was a fucking zombie! What else was I suppose to do!” Button replied, checking to see if it was completely dead.

“Oh god…BLEGGHHHHH” choked Sweetie, vomiting onto the floor.

Button ran over to the door and looked out, he could see in the distance the corn being shifted by a large horde of the creatures, there moaning and groans could just be heard.

“Oh Shi….we got to leave” he stated, turning to sweetie belle.

“This isn’t a fucking game Button!” she shouted.

“WE NEED TO LEAVE NOW!” he replied, un-wedging the pitch-fork from the corpse.

Sweetie flicked her head about trying to decide whether to stay or run, deciding whether or not her lover had just killed someone and trying very hard to decide if what he was saying was for real.

“SWEETIE!” Button pleaded, noticing a few stiffs emerging slowly from the edge of the crop.

“OK ok!” she replied, bolting out the door and heading towards the house. Button followed quickly at her heels but by the time they made it windmill there was already three undead waiting with out-stretched arms and pruned grizzly skin. Sweetie tripped, falling forward she landed in front of the zombie trio, she looked up with a frozen fear that made her face a pale lantern of awe.

Before any of the three could react Button rammed the pitch fork throw one of them, pinning it to the windmill.

Sweetie dragged herself away from the two, one of them curling up its face in a hiss and shuffling towards her.

“Button Help!” she screamed.

“I’m a bit busy!” the colt replied, wrestling with the first and second zombie.

“rawwyr!” growled the undead creature, getting closer and closer to sweetie.

“What do I do!?” she shouted in fear.

“Kill it!” Button replied, slamming a zombie’s head repeatedly into the side of a steel pole.

Sweetie belle searched through the dirt for something to use against the monster, finding only pebbles and roots, she felt the creature grab a hoof-full of her hair and pulling it harshly, trying to bring her closer. In sheer luck she found a rock about as large as her hoof and swung it behind her as hard as she could, smashing the zombie across the face and shatter every one of its teeth while knocking it to the ground.

The downed zombie gave a garbled moan as it tried t o crawl back onto its feet.

“it’s getting back up!” Sweetie shouted.

“Women just kill it!” Button replied, swinging the pitch-fork like a bat, hitting the second zombie with a large thud.

Sweetie belle looked at the rock and then to the creature, she wasn’t sure if she had the moral courage too, the girl slowly and cautiously stepped towards it, it seemed injured enough to not be a proble…* RAAAWR!” snarled the zombie trying to throw itself towards her.

“Ahhhh!” sweetie screamed, hitting the undead over the head with the rock, repeatedly bashing into the fowl creature.

“Sweetie!” Button said, putting a hoof on her shoulder then jumping back as she swung the rock around trying to attack him in the confusion .

“y…yeah” she replied, dropping the rock.

“it’s dead” he finished.

“l..lets get to the house” she said, getting up and walking towards there bastion, unaware of the horde that would come forth from the shroud of the corn field.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^”

It should have just stopped at the first movie, hell maybe I’ll stand by the second but they've raped the franchise dead with all the sequels and reboots” Rumbled finished, lying on the couch sucking on a joint.

“Friday the 13th got away with all that” Zed replied,, smoking his own.

“yeah but Jason was iconic enough to remain popular even with those terrible movies, but barely anyone nowadays remembers or even knows Michael Myers” Rumble said.

“what about a cross over….nightmare on Halloween or something” asked Zed, coughing a little as he drew.

Suddenly the door burst open and ran in Sweetie belle, her face deep and scared with specs of blood,.

“sweetie what’s wrong ?” asked Applebloom sitting up from her bean-bag.

“d…d..dead guys…out there…attack me!...help” sweetie tried to explain, catching her breath.

“what?” applebloom replied.

“Button stepped in through the door covered in blood and brandishing a gooey pitch-fork, he slammed the door shut and shot a look to Rumble.

“Zombies” Rumble asked.

Button gave a nod.

Rumble immediately got up and headed into the kitchen while everyone else looked at Button with confusion.

“Everyone, barricade up the windows and doors!” he ordered.

They still stood frozen in bewilderment.

“i..is this a prank or something?” asked Applebloom.

“Go and see for yourself!” yelled button pointing to the window.

Suddenly there was a large bang on the door as the sound of moaning could be heard from outside.

The brown Colt casually locked the door.

Instinctively and stupidly most of the room rushed towards the window to see for themselves, it was only a matter of seconds before the zombies had smashed them open and dragged four party goers through the shattered holes.

One Mare held onto her friends legs as she was being pulled through.

“Shelly” she cried as both legs broke off and a gratuitous amount of blood funneled from the window like a cracked hydrant.

Suddenly Rumbled emerged from the kitchen with a right hoof covered in taped on cutting knives, looking like a make-shift wolverine.

He pushed everyone aside and punched through the broken windows, hitting the undead right through the skull and into their primitive brains. On the second window was button with his pitch-fork, jabbing at there heads, braking apart there brain-matter.

“How many are there!” Rumble yelled.

“Probably more than five waves” Button replied.

“shit…GUYS! Grab some furniture!”.

The crowd still remained frozen.

Eventually four ponies managed to realize that this was real and they lifted the couch and brang it towards Rumble.

While two mares lifted up a coffee table and brang it to button, after that most people began grabbing what they could and barricading up the door and windows.

“is it holding asked Rumble.

“looks like it” replied Button slowly stepping away.

“Applebloom” asked Button “ do you have any guns, a rifle or shotgun maybe”.

She was sitting down with her hooves around her head, all she gave was a slight nod of agreement.

“where?"

she pointed upstairs, “Granny’s room” she said.

Both boys ran up the stairs and kicked open the door, they looked around and were in awe, the walls were covered in rifles, pistols, shotguns, muskets and even an elephant gun, it was gun city.

“Groovy” said Button, admiring the elder’s arsenal.

“thank goddess for red-necks” similarly replied Rumble, grabbing as many weapons as he could carry.

Button did the same on his part, both Colts took with them eighteen different fire-arms from Granny Smith’s room, they had enough fire-power to take on a small country.

“ooooh” went most of the ponies in the crowd, as the boys showered them from above the stairs, giving as many out as they could, to themselves Button kept a silver revolver with a sawn-off shotgun while Rumble had on his back a camouflaged hunting rifle with a scope, both the two were very much prepared for a zombie Apocalypse.

Button spoke up to the crowd with a commanding voice, “Ok, so here’s the situation…we have zombies, yes just like in the movies and yes they are here to eat and devour your flesh…but here’s the good news, in your hooves you now have a BOOM STICK!...that’s going to be your way back home, treat it kindly…So what we need to do is make sure every door, window, fireplace, doggy door and glory hole is bordered up and barricaded…what we need to focus on now is securing the area and hope the horde moves on, if not…we’’ll work on an escape plan”.

“Who put you in charge!” heckled Zed.

“Well when it comes to leader options you’ve got two choices….Jack…and Shit… and Jack left town, are we clear” Button said with gusto, cocking his shot-gun.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

For three hours the thirteen ponies left bordered up every entrance and soft-spot they could, all under the watchful super-vision of Button and Rumble. Sweetie and Applebloom had created a sort of HQ in the upstairs bedroom that overlooked the farm, getting any information they could for an escape plan.

“Any good news” asked Button as he stepped into the room, putting his gun on his back.

“No…there’s no way we’ll survive out there…we’ll be out in the open” Applebloom replied, staring through a pair of binoculars.

“Any news at all” Button asked.

“Jerry,Wizzer,keggly, and Morse-code are dead” she exhaustively replied.

“is that good?”

“They’re not zombies, there just dead, which means it’s not some infection”.

Button looked over to what was sitting to the side of Applebloom, a very large, very powerful Griffon-made Elephant gun, cokc,locked and loaded, it was taller than she was.

“uh, do you know how to use that” queried Button, eyeing it out.

She shot him a sour look, “Keep in mind here I’m the only one with you know…actual experience with guns …Mr Rambo” remarked the farm girl.

“Applebloom” mumbled Sweetie, still somewhat in shock.

“I’m just saying…if we set it up at the door we could rally them up and blow through most of them” Button sassed.

“It’s my goddess damn rifle!” the girl shot back.

“Applebloom” Sweetie once again said, louder than before but still much too low.

“it’s not a sniper...it’s a cannon, meant for obliterating things, not head-shots”.

“APPLEBLOOM!...there all heading to the door!” sweetie yelled.

The two stopped their argument and raced to the window, outside the farm were eighty or more undead zombies clumping on the form of the house , dragging their teeth against the wood of the door and barricades.

Button whispered something to himself which he sure hoped no-one heard, “this is it”.

The sky above seemed to burn a ghoulish green while the moon looked like a bloodshot eye, pink and brimming with hate, tonight was with-out a doubt, one of grave evil.
Downstairs the group had already become deathly aware of the zombies tearing apart there defenses, Rumble had each person lined up with a gun facing the door, ready to give hell, he gave a gulp as he began to see the monsters faces emerged from the splintering wood.

“Three!” he yelled out, lining up his own weapon.

The ponies here were not soldiers, nor hero's…they were just scared people wanting to go home…but in each of them was a certain willingness to fight, a kernel of either courage or stupidity.

“Two” continued Rumble.

Everyone prepared themselves for their final stand against the horde.

“Onnn…HOLD ON!” stalled the Colt, running over to the CD player and putting on ‘War, what is it good for!’ as a sort of battle-drum.

“Ok…Three…..T..Two….ONE! FIRE!” Rumbled shouted, releasing hell onto the haggard monsters knocking at their door, blowing the first wave into oblivion and peppering the second.

“Three two one Fire” he repeated, letting a second volley of bullets shredding into the creatures like wheat in a field.

By now there must have been thirty dead corpses slung through the windows.

“Again!” Rumble Boomed, taking count of ammo used and zombies slain.

“Again”

“Fire!”

Fifty dead.

“We got this man, we got this by the ass!” boasted Zed, poking his fire-arm through the window and individually picking them off with a grin, Suddenly and without warning the torn and bullet shattered walls collapsed forward from the pressure, sending a plume of grey dust up into the room and choking the vanguard.

In a matter of seconds what left of the horde burst in like a ravenous pack of wolves.

Rumble was immediately struck down by a living dead, pinning him to the floor and biting viciously as the air.

“Help!” yelled Rumble trying desperately to push it off him.

“REAHHHRRRR!” gargled the zombie, its jagged mouth inches away from his face.

“Get away from him you bitch!” hissed Button from atop the stairs, jumping down and lading legs first on its head and shattering it into the floor-boards.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button and four of the last survivors defended their way back up the stairs, fighting off the thralls with the last scraps of there ammo, there last stand seemed to be for nigh, as the there lay the perished bodies of those heroes along with more undead than could be counted.

“They just keep coming!” exhaustively remarked Rumble, reloading his weapon with its last four bullets.

“your mother” joked Button, hacking at the ghouls with a machete, becoming somewhat hysterical.

“this is it…isn’t it” asked an orange mare with a pump-action shot-gun.

“euyup” replied Button.

“Hey…you got a light?” button stated to the girl.

“uh…yeah here” she replied confusingly, handing him a smoke and a lighter.

“Thanks” Button said, lighting it up and taking a large draw while thinking of something cool to say before he died.

“uh..um…wolfman’s got nards….eh…welcome to my world bitch.” Button stumbled, finally finding a phrase that seemed passable.

“Do not ask for whom the bell tolls….it tolls for thee” he finished, throwing the cigarette into the horde, setting them ablaze in a cloud of combusting flame.

“WOOH!...I did not see that coming” he remarked.

“C’mon assholes!” shouted Applebloom from the bedroom door, wielding her overly large rifle.

The survivors ran into the room as the flaming horde shuffled up the stairs into the hallway’ hissing at the yellow cowgirl with hateful eye’s.

“heeeeeeeeeeeeeere’s johnny!” she shouted, sending an explosion of heavy firepower directly towards the undead, eviscerating them instantly and blowing a huge hole at their feet.
“what do we do!” asked Rumble, fling over the bed and pushing it against the door as a weak barricade.

“we go medieval on their ass” replied Button tightly gripping his machete.

“Guys” interrupted Sweetie bell “you do know we can just step out the window and get on the roof”.

The group looked between themselves at the obvious escape route.

“let’s blow this joint” remarked Applebloom, jumping the over the barricade and into the room, now wearing her sister’s lucky hat.
“I agree” replied the orange mare, pushing open the window and carefully stepping onto the shingles.

Then Sweetie, then Rumble, then the others.

Button looked too Applebloom.

“hold on” fretted the yellow bad-ass, pointing the elephant gun out the window and blasting away a walker nearly a yard away, “Cant long-shot huh” she joked, following out the window.

Finally Button was the last too go, he stepped out and began to close the hinges when he saw something running towards him from the hallway, a maroon colt with a horde following fast behind him.

“ZED!, I thought you were dead………baby” exclaimed Button, putting out a hoof.

“wait for me!” he shouted, jumping the bed and clinging to Buttons arm, they both made it through and shut the window tightly.
The group had settle on the top of the roof next to the chimney, they all seemed to be looking at the same thing, in the distance lay a burning ball of fire, it lit the land with furious amber light. It was monolithic, it was destructive….it was the sun.

Button slowly walked over and sat by Sweetie who like the others were entranced by what they saw.

Button mash joined in and he too felt the warm light slowly creep up his body. He soon felt something gripping him, he looked at his arm and notice Sweetie wrapped on it, giving him a re-assuring cuddle.

In the field the zombies began to scream as the sun-light pierced them, burning them away to dust, a night of evil….slowly beginning to end.

Rumble looked to Button with a smile, seeming to forget the situation, “that’ll do pig” he joked.

“Dude, that was way to corny,” Button replied with the same peaceful smirk.

The group sat atop the devastated house, looking out towards the sun, what a horrible night to have a curse, but what a great for the dawn to cometh.

“hey button” asked Sweetie.

“yeah Babe” he replied happily.

“I don’t want to say it”

“say what”

She put her lips up to his ear and with honeyed words “time to wake up”

“uh” the boy remarked, everything turning to black.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button awoke to the beams of sunlight licking at his eye lids from the crack of the door, he looked around and realized he was inside the same barn from last night.

hugged to his waist was the loving embrace of Sweetie, her eyes shut, her face soft and beautiful. Above him was the same spiderweb , only this time the bright light had glistened it like strings of gold. Button felt both relieved and saddened at the revelation that it was all a dream.

“mmm…you ok babe” sweetie murmured.

“just a nightmare” he replied.

Sweetie gave him a loving squeeze them kissed him on the back.

“oh poor baby…c’mon, if you want I’m good for round two”

At that admission, Button gave a Smile. “happy nightmare night” he thought to himself, taking out another wrapper and pouncing onto his woman.

Button Mash Season 1 Finale: A Monument To All your Sins.

Author's Note

Wow, I can't believe its been almost a year since I started this series back in January, I never would have expected it to go anywhere past Part 1, but thanks to all you guys and gals it's stuck around even with all its faults and spelling errrorss, So this is what I consider to be the Season finale of the series, of course it doesn't mean I'm ending it or slowly down, god no, its too indented in my day to day life for me to do that, but it is what I consider a huge turning point with Button as a character, even more so than Part 8, this is also way Darker than 8 so take heed, I spent A while on this one due to exactly that but I think Its been long enough, so yeah sorry for the little speech, please enjoy and please comment down below............ that stuff is my cocaine guys.

Button Mash Season 1 Finale: A Monument To All your Sins.

“Button woke up in a daze, his entire head was aching as well as his face, he looked around and noticed he was lying in someone else’s couch, he sat up and rubbed his fore-head which pumped in and out with bursts of pain, he was in agony.

“You finally awake?” said a green colt across the room, drinking a beer and slouching against a wall.

“W..where are we?” Button asked, using his tongue to feel the places in his mouth where teeth were supposed to be.

“You’re in my house” replied a mare stepping out from behind Snips, her purple coat at conflict with his, it was Berry Punch.

“How did we get here?” Button stumbled.

“ After we got out from the alley I chucked us on a bus and got us here from canterlot,, I asked Berry and convinced her to let us hold out here for a day or two” Snips stated, giving Berry Punch alittle look of gratitude, making her mouth smile for just a millisecond.

The old girl spoke to button, “I’m only you because Snips begged me too alright so only a day… and I expect you to clean up the mess in the bathroom, me and him had to drag your smelly ass in and wash all the crap off you” added Berry, giving button a half-stern look.

“Snips are you sure you want to drag her into this” Button began but was silenced.

“Trust me, I’ve been doing this kind of thing for years now, I spent the whole of last night trying to set us up with a holdout place far from here” Snips discussed.
The brown colt rubbed his face again, it felt like every nerve in his face was crumpled like paper.

Button began to think about how he got here, house, store room, alley….OH NO!.

“MOM!, they know where we live!” he shouted, trying to get up but clasping onto the floor, Snips grabbed him by the shoulder and hoisted him back up.
“Wohw there, you can’t be speaking to anyone yet, we gotta lay low for at least a month” Snips said.

“What!, I can’t do that!” spat back Button.

“Better than being dead kid, you don’t fuck around with Guy, Hell, I don’t even think we can even stay in ponyville! For much longer” Snips coldly replied, his tone that of deathly seriousness.

“Button froze, Button began to think, Button spoke.

“He knows where I live….how long before they start looking for me”.

The room went silent.

Snips ran his arm over his neck, trying to avoid the question.

“I…Think, ah, a day maybe…” snips stuttered trying to think of something.

Button’s face seemed to be frozen.

“I got to go to the police” Button stated trying to stand but falling down.

“uh Dude not such a good idea, remember…the whole Drug dealer thing” Snips said, reminding Button.

“This is my Moms life!” Button boomed, heaving himself onto four legs.

“Uh….I don’t know how to say this but if you’re getting the guard involved them I’m out, I’ve got a pot farm in the basement” Berry Punch admitted, looking sheepishly at Button.

The two gave Button a dis-concerning look.

“I got to do something” he asked sorrowfully, his eyes full of doubt.

Snips gave a stern look to Button and rubbed his chin.

“I’ll go get Karen and bring her here, at least she’ll be safe” Berry said, grabbing Snips’s beer and finishing it off.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

12 hours earlier….

8Bit fired his poisoned arrows at the angered Dragon, trying as hard as he could to down the giant lizard. The creature swooped down and set 8Bit ablaze with fire, forcing him to swallow four HP potions and an Archery draught.

“Boom Bitch” *8Bit said, praising the critical hit he got on the Dragon’s head, sending it crashing into the ground.
He then absorbed the creature’s soul and looted the mythical creature.

“yes, finally got enough dragon bone for..WHAT!” boomed 8Bit as the screen froze up.

“no no no, c’mon please” he pleaded to the crashed game.

“argh!” the boy yelled, hurling the controller at the wall.

…

…

…

“Shiet!” he said to himself, regaining his composure and getting up from his desk chair, walking over to the possibly destroyed controller.
He looked out the window as he picked the device up, he saw the same thing he had seen every day.

The old dirt plot for a building that was never built, the oriental takeaway that probably served meat, the Crimson hearts club where his mother had worked her body away for the past ten years…and the alleyway where junkies sold his mother her daily fix of ….Wait what’s that.

8Bit looked out and saw two ponies running out of the dingy alley with one of them looking strangely familiar. He looked at the two, one of them was a greenish Colt with a well-trimmed mane while the other had a mocha coat and a horribly beaten up face, 8Bit could just make out the cutie mark resembling a Nintendo D-Pad…Oh Goddess…It was Button Mash.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Scarlet sat down at her work station, she listened to the Tick of the clock as it etched every second into her head. It had been twenty-four hours since she heard of Button’s disappearance, she couldn’t think of anything else other than what could have happened. She tried to drown out her thoughts by working, his a quick flick of her hoof she turned on her sowing machine and tried to work.

The loud droll of the machine was helping to mask, tick went the clock….flick…tick…flick…tick, It started to scramble her head like rusty nails in a blender.

Flick

Tick

Flick

Ran Away

Flick

Tortured

Tick

Dead

She slid the sowing machine from the table and fell into her arms thinking.

‘He’s been kid-napped…or being tortured or is buried somewhere with a bullet in his head’.

She got up and walked into her bed-room all along the way trying to reason with herself.

‘I barely know him’,’We’ve only known each-other for a week’,’ all we did was fuck’, Scarlet could only think, but she didn’t know how to act.
The young mare looked at herself in the mirror.

“why” she said to herself softly.

“Why” she said again, this time more harshly.

“Err!”she grunted, ripping open her draw and grabbing a vile of black mascara and wiping it over her face.

She again looked at herself in the mirror, a large dark paint line crossed over her face, now beaming with rage. She smashed the vile in her hoof and smeared it across the mirror.

Scarlet opened the draw again for more ways to handle her rage when she found her note-book, still covered in the Title of Liara craft, button must have left it there from saturday.

She paused, her mind now elsewhere, she opened the book and read button’s addition to the story.

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

“Part 1: darker shores.

Liara was awakened by the spank on her shoulder that came from the good captain.

“come on sweat pea…time for school” he joked, throwing off her blanket.

“mmmnnnn…have we arrived” he groaned, rubbing her eye’s.

“euyup, welcome to Darkshore downs, best and only trading port of the island, Ive got a few of the men out and about searchin’ the local tavies for a place to eat.
Liara rolled herself out of bed and stumbled to stay on her hooves, looking around she grabbed her mane-tie and looked out her view-hole.

“what?, where’s the sun” he questioned.

“still a few hours away, it’s oh about three thirty” the captain remarked.

“then why didn’t you wake me when this was atleast some chance of a reasonable sleep”.

“coz sailors don’t waste time, if ya want you can sleep, but as for us, we’ll be perusing the local establishments and enjoy the foreign entertainment” he said with a smile, walking out the room with a happy whistle.

LIara slumped head first back onto the bed hoping to drift back off.

….

….

“mrrrrrrrrrrr” she groaned into the pillow, getting back up and drunkenly moving towards the portside door.

Scarlet finished reading then lightly put the book down, staring at herself in the mirror she looked at herself, the black mascara, the ragged mane, the deep face, she just wished things could have stay like they were on Friday night, she did something she hadn’t of done since she was a little fowl, putting her hooves together and closing her eye’s…..she began to pray.

‘Goddess…or Goddesses…or discord…or whoever or whatever is listening……please make sure Button’s OK….I love him…we love him…please don’t let him die” she finished up, not really sure if she would get her divine wish or if it was just a waste of time…but it made her feel better.

She walked out of her room and sat down on the lounge room couch, flicking on the TV and slouching deep into the folds.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button sat out on the back porch of Berry’s house, a cheap bottle of beer in one hoof and a lit cigarette in the other, he kept peering around the suburban backyards beyond him, half expecting someone to pop up with a sniper rifle and finish the job, Paranoid fitted him like a glove.

“Hey Bud” remarked Snips from behind him, closing the fly-screen door and pulling up a chair next to the boy.

“Mmm” he mumbled, taking a long drag of his cancer stick.

“How’s your face holding up” Snips asked, giving him a knock on the shoulder.

“Mmm” Button repeated.

“Aren’t you the talker” the green colt joked, giving an awkward chuckle.

“When’s she getting back”.

Snips simply gave a shrug in reply.

“Snips….do…do you have a gun I could borrow” Button remarked, staring off into no-where.
“sorry man….Don’t trust guns”.

“You’re a drug dealer and you don’t have a gun?”.

“And you’re a Geek without a fedora” .

They both gave a genuine laugh at the comment.

Button wiped the sweat from his head and twisted his cigarette into the ground; the hot day made the air a thick heat that chocked anything with a pair of lungs.
“it’s funny you know” Button commented.

“what is”

“All day I’ve been waiting for the fuckers to show up, and all I can think about is how I’d stab the shit out of them…I’m not going to die…so help me discord” darkly spoke Button, speaking more to himself than anyone.

“Button, are you….feeling OK?”.

Button continued to whisper the same thing under his breathe, “I’m not going to die, I’m not going to die”, it began to frighten Snips who jostled around with his chair.
“Look man, I think you need to take a step back and assess the situation, your alive, your families alive, your friends are alive…all that’s going to happen is that were having a small change of location”.

“Have you ever had a gun to your skull…ever seen the look in a Colt’s eye when he decides that your life isn’t worth living, no man I ain’t going to let that happen again not to me!, I’ll do what-ever I can to stay alive…even if it fucking means” Button stopped once he saw the scared look on Snips.

“I..I just want everything to go back to normal”.

“they will man, you just got to wait it out”.

“mmm…where we going once mom gets here”.

“My friend Rusty’s going to let us stay in his granma’s place down near whiney Bay, house right on the water, overlooks the ocean…it’ll be…peaceful” Snips said gently.
“that’ll be nice, get out of all this ya know, clear our heads for a while” Button replied.

Snips’s face soon grew long and sorrowful before he spoke.

“Im sorry I got you into all this man…I never wanted this to happen to a good kid like you”.

“It OK…you came back for me, that’s what counts, if you hadn’t got me out of there I’d be lying dead in a ditch somewhere” said Button with a genuine tone.
“…Thanks Button….” Snips stammered, not really used to hearing forgiveness.

“Right now we just got to focus on not getting killed” Finished Button, getting up from his chair and slinging himself onto the railing, putting a hoof up to block out the hot sun rays.

“Hey Button” Snips squeaked.

“Yeah”.

Snips rubbed his cheeks, “I know Berry keeps a pistol in her upstairs wine cabinet, If your so freaked out…you can borrow it…for protection of course, in case anything does go south” Snips finished.

“Thanks Man, I’ll be careful with it” Button replied, stepping out of the sunlight and back into the house.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“No, I haven’t seen him since Saturday night…he just….vanished.

“Look Mom, he could have just run away or something?” replied Pit Mash, Button older brother.

“But he seemed so cheerful on Saturday, he had even gotten himself a new girlfriend…..But he just…Disappeared” she stammered, very distraught.
“Do we have any information then on where he may be?” the Colt asked.

“Only that he’s become recently involved in…Narcotics”.

Pit let out a sigh.

“…Has he snuck off to this new girlfriend’s place?”.

“No, I went and saw her yesterday, she knows as much as me, I’ve been trying to keep her updated encase anything shows up”
*err!* came the sound of an approaching coach far off in the distance.

“oh, excuse me honey, Someone’s coming up the road”.

“Alright Mom, just…remember, I’m sure Button’s fine, like, how many times have I ended up missing” Finished Pit to his mother, sounding disconcerted but anxious.
“Ok…I’ll fill you in if anything…at al pops up, goodnight dear” replied Karen, putting down the phone and having a moment to compose herself.

*Knock Knock* came the sound from the door.

“Coming!* she yelled out.

Button’s mother approached the door ad opened it up, expecting to see a guard with information but instead saw one of her old drinking buddies.
“Berry” Karen commented, “I’m sorry, but I can’t do anything tonight, I’ve got too much going on right now”.

The purple mare looked exhausted, like she had been racing someone here.

“Karry..I..I know…I know where Button is!” breathlessly stuttered Berry.

As if like a quick draw the mother wrapped her arms around Berry’s and burned a deep stare into her eyes.

“WHERE!” she demanded.

“My place, he’s been with Snips the whole day” Began Berry, before noticing a coach just coming into view in the distance “..Oh goddess, Karen!, get in the house!” the purple mare roared, pushing her friend back into the house and locking the door.

“What’s going on, where’s Button!”.

“He’s fine, I’m going to take you to him, but we’ve got to leave now!”.

They both heard the vehicle pull up to the front of the house.

“why, who is it” Karen asked, her ears perking up in fear.

“shhh!, probably Rocco…ok here’s what I want you to do, stay down and we’ll get to the back door” Berry requested, carefully planning out the situation.
*Knock Knock* came to door once more.

Both girls stood perfectly still, as their hearts raced a million miles an hour, they could hear him fiddling with the locked door. Berry gestured Karen to begin sneaking, they made it too the kitchen before they heard the door creak open.

The assassin began to whistle ‘the saints go marching’ as he slowly pulled his lock-pick from the keyhole and entering the Mash house hold, his pistol smacking against his leg.

The two Mares hid themselves behind the counter as the whistling Colt wandered around the house, his hooves creaking on the floor boards.
Karen thinking either brave or stupid, stood up and pulled a large cutting knife from its holster, ducking down just as the thug turned the corner, coming their way…his gun at the ready.

Berry made a sign jerking motion with her hoof, most likely meaning that once he notices them, cut him down for the sake of your own life.
Thump, thump, thump, he came closer and closer, thump thump thump.

Karen could just make out his greasy black mane from the edge of the counter, his plastic sunglasses sending a shot of fear up her spine, she gripped the knife tightly…it was not the first time she had been in this situation like this but for the love of Celestia she would not relive it.

“AH-CHEW!” sneezed the Assassin, catching a few dust particles in his nostrils.

Both girls almost screamed as they were startled by the sudden noise.

“AH-Chew Ah-Chew!” went the thug, tripping over onto the floor in a tumble.

‘Now! Do it now!’ Karen’s mind boomed, telling her it was now or never, but she still remained frozen, she was a dead Mare.

“eghhh” groined Rocco, standing back up and hitting the side of his head harshly on the edge of the counter.

“AHHH! SHIT! DICK! CUNT! WANKER!” he roared in pain, gripping at his scalp and dropping his gun.

Berry tried to jump out and grab the pistol but Karen held her back as the brute ran to the nearest mirror, trying to check his owie.

The moment his steps ended at the stop stairs Both Berry Grape Punch and Karen Nurture Mash ran out the kitchen and straight out the backdoor, trying extremely hard not to make a sound along the way, the moment they make it outside they cut right across the field into the meadow, bolting towards town, not stopping till they made it to Berry’s house.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The door flung open as both Mares stepped into the house, their bodies both covered in sweat and there breathing dry and raspy.
They found Snips lying asleep on an armchair.

“Button!” Karen yelled out through the building.

Snips immediately awoke.

“Button!” she repeated, searching each room.

“Oh..your ba..back” yawed the green Colt, “how’d it go?.

“Roc…Rocco showed up...just as we got there..he..he was going to kill her” Berry stuttered, picking up one of the half empty bears and flooding her parched throat.
“Shit man, I didn’t think Guy was going to go all Breaking bad on us, jeez!” he replied, lifting himself onto four legs.

“Where is he!” demanded Karen returning from the hallway, her face and her mind in tatters.

“he should be sleeping on the bed, last room on the left”.

“He’s not there” Karen replied.
Snips stopped for a second...for one second, and for that one second a horrible thought came to his mind.

He raced to the back-window and looked out on the porch, no one, he checked the basement, no one, finally he run up the stairs and searched the wine cabinet, nothing.

‘Oh goddess’ he thought to himself.

“I gotta go!” Snips yelled, throwing open the front door and grabbing a pair of coach keys.
“Where are you going!” demanded Karen.

“I gotta go get Button, he’s about to do something really really really Fucking stupid!” he replied.
Berry grabbed his shoulder.

“you can’t go back, they’ll kill you!”.

“I..know…But, I can’t let anything happen to that kid” Snips sadly replied.

Karen was about to yell something when Snips stopped her right there.

“Miss Mash, please don’t risk it, I’ll be back in an hour, just please wait alittle longer…I’ll get him back”.

The old girl wanted to knock him out right there and then…but she knew that no matter how much she would plead or threaten him, she would have to stay put.
“Snips McKowsky you bring back my Fucking Son!” she ordered.

He gave an understanding nod.

With that he shut the door, preparing for what was to come.

“Why is this so damn Difficult” sighed Karen, putting an arm against the door.

“Snips’ll find him, he’s a good man” Berry replied.

Suddenly the door re-opened and the green Colt burst back in as if he had forgotten something important, wrapping his hooves around the purple mare’s ear’s he pressed his lips against hers, catching Berry off-guard, though she didn’t seem to resist.

Karen felt somewhat awkward between the two.

“I’m not going to die without at least one kiss” Snips remarked.

“…if you make it back here I give you much more than a kiss” coaxed Berry, feeling like a young filly again.

The green colt gave her a proud kiss on the cheek as he once again left the house, going to the worst place imaginable for him.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

‘end this’ Button thought to himself, ‘end this all now’, ‘ you have to, to save your family…to save yourself, he’ll kill you if you don’t’, ’end it, end it, kill him’.

The rain pissed down in front of the Crimson Hearts club like icy bullets exploding against the sidewalk, the tall brick GentleColt’s Club looked like a neon infused moments to their sins, a den of scum and villainy.

He ran across the wet street, each hoof spraying frosty water up on the boy’s already drenched coat, Button had spent the whole afternoon planning this moment out, figuring out the ins and outs, as he acted on it each step seemed to fly through them with great speed.

finally he found himself infront of the entrance to hell.

Button stood at the front door, his hoof up against his mane, checking that the gun was still in there, he was going to end the fear…tonight.

*errr!* came the rusty sound of a coach turning onto the street, Button quickly ran to the side of the club, standing in the same alleyway he had escaped from, he pinned himself against the side-wall and peeked to see who it was.

It couldn’t have been the Zebra, the coach was way too beat up and cheap, soon out stepped the same Colt that had tortured Button the night before, the limey assassin…Rocco, Button wanted so bad to shoot him, kill him for what he had done but he knew if he fired even one shot the club would spill out, ending button’s chance, he let the gangster go into the bar.

‘How am I going to get in?’ the brown colt thought to himself, looking around.

Then it hit button as he saw it, the railing ladder, ascending right up to the big man’s office, brilliant Button said to himself.
One story…two stories…three stories….and finally the fourth.

The teenage Colt looked through the window, his gun at the ready, hoping to blow zebra brains out through the window, no luck though, Guy was no-where to be seen.
He jeered open the window and stepped inside, hoping down and positing himself at the door, aiming the gun directly at the entrance, ready to blow away the first person who stepped in and…….and…….Oh Goddess.

Button almost dropped the weapon on the ground when it hit him; everything had been going so fast that button hadn’t even bothered to think about what exactly he was going to do, or even what the consequences of what he was going to do. All day he had only thought of one thing, killing, what right did Button have to take someone’s life, to leave them a corpse lying on the floor…all because button was scared, no, no.

The boy dropped his guard, he didn’t know how to approach the situation anymore, he didn’t want to be here in this place, to be apart of all this hell, he just wanted to be home with his mother or at school with his friends, if he did this than all that would be gone forever, no more Rumble or Scootaloo, no more Scarlet or Sweetie, just him…locked up for premeditated murder.

He must had stood there thinking for a good five minutes.

Eventually his mind began to wonder around the room, in the corner was a water-cooler, on the wall was a ‘hang in there baby’ poster and on his desk was a bunch of receipts and bill notices with scribbling’s all over them as well as a few doodles here and there.

Soon his eyes fell onto something…unexpected.

He looked the left of the room; sitting on a table lay a large pile of flowers and photos with a large picture of the same young zebra kid on it.
Button let the curiosity overtake him, he wandered over to the shrine of sorts where he found a frame letter next to the portrait, it read:
To my dear Son Franklin Gwangee:
Life has claimed your life to early My dearest Son, though you are gone I still feel like your with me, playing on the beaches, climbing trees and fishing with your friends, I wish I could write a million words to tell you how my I love you but I will consul myself with these few, My sweet little man, I love you more than anyone could, when you were born I yelled joy at the top of my lungs and now that your gone I feel as though I am too, may you find happiness in the after-life as what I found with you…Daddy loves you. ~ Guy Gwangee.

Button for a single millisecond in his mind felt sorrow for the drug-dealing monster.

He looked at the pictures, there were ones of franklin holding a fish he caught, playing soccer and wearing a school uniform with his class-mates as well as one of him and guy…Smiling together, except instead of thick black hair…franklin was bald, pale and had with some breather thing in his nose.

Button stepped back slowly, he didn’t want to look at the mural anymore, he just wanted to go home. He unlocked the large window behind Guy’s desk and opened them wide, he was about to step out when the door opened, there in front of Button at the entrance to the office stood the zebra holding a cup of coffee and a newspaper.

Neither of the two said anything, they just stood frozen staring at each-other, Finally as if turning over to a new channel, Guy’s face turned from dumb-struck into the swave cruel face Button was so accustomed too.

“So, Little Button come sneakin’ round mah office now has he” he grimly asked, speaking in a belittling tone.

Button quickly jumped down from the window and pulled out Berry’s pistol, aiming it directly at the mob boss.

“hah, what ya think Im intimidated by that pee shooter, I’ve had guns pointed at me my whole life boy” he scoffed, “So are you here to kill me I assume”.

“Don’t have much of a choice now do I?” button replied.

“You know what’s funny Mr Mash….I couldn’t give two shits about what you do, I didn’t even bother looking for either you or Snips, I have bigger fish to fry” .

“Bullshit” Button replied, “You lying sack of shit, I can’t take the risk of you hunting down me or my family over what!, one vile”.

The zebra shot a horrid smirk.

“One vile was all the reason I needed, you pay or you ‘Pay’ mista Mash, that’s the law of nature” Guy’s tone was like that of some court judge, telling Button things he didn’t want to hear, “You know little Button…I Sent Rocco to pay Mummy dearest a visit” jested Guy, his black and white face twisted into a grim smile.

*BAM* fired the gun from Button, his head full of rage, sending a bullet right through the zebra’s shoulder, giving him the second he needed to charge forward towards Button.

The brown Colt tried to jump back out the window but didn’t have enough time, just as he got two legs on the window sill Guy had already propelled his body weight directly at Button and throwing them both out onto the rails.

Guy pinned Button down on the rusty grate, sitting on his chest, with a brutal swipe the Zebra hit Button hard across the jaw chipping one of his teeth, A second hook impacted against the young boy’s chin…then forehead, then chest. He beat Button as if he was nothing but a sack of flour.

Guy stopped for a breathe, heaving as he prepare to go again. Button could barely see, hell he could barely stay awake, there was one thing he noticed though, the brace to the Far end was barely stable, the years of rain and rust had dissolved it to a rusted metal husk, no-pony knows why button did what he did…call it instinct.
Button used what strength he ever had to throw the Zebra of him and crawl like some reptile creature across the grate, dragging himself as fast as he could.

“Get back ere’ I aint done with ya’” Shouted the Drug-lord grabbing button by the leg.

The adolescent reached out trying to grab the brace, hoping to snap it, hoping to do something. He was just an inch out of reach, so close, so far.

Guy pulled on Button’s leg; luckily Button gripped one of the railing pillars and held on for dear life.

“when I’m done with ya’ you’ll be buried in 5 tons o’ cement boy” threaten the Zebra, his cool calm demeanor was long gone, a more … primal look seemed plastered on his face…He was going to kill Button Mash.,here and now, like he was some insignificant bug.

Button’s head was racing trying to figure out what to do, it felt like there was a thousand nails tearing around in his head, it felt so loud, so fast…the feeling past, the silence came, it all stopped…when the sound of *Snap!* pierced through everything else.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

They Fell………………………………..

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Soon everything felt Frozen as Button fell from the building, he could feel the point of no return there was no way he was going to survive this fall, he stared forward at the last thing he ever would, there falling just the same as him was Guy, his face just as torn with fear as his, they both knew this was it for them.

People say you see your life flash before your eye’s before you die but to Button, all he could was the pond, the silver pond that gave him such solace on dark silent lonely nights, it was more of a friend to him than anyone else, the white moon, the dead water, the whistling reads, the great dormant willows……… and finally the young brown Colt that would sit there for hours just sucking on time as it passed by, hoping for everything and nothing all the same.

To Guy, all he saw where the things he had already lost, his Beautiful wife, his smiling son, the perfect life he had always imagined but had never seemed to get, A time where everything seemed to be placid, no more fighting, no more killing, no more hatred, just him and his family sitting down together at the dinner table, taking about school and trips to gran’s house, a life devoid of conflict, a time that is merely just a forgotten dream shrouded by years of pain.

‘No’ they both thought to themselves.

………….

…………

…………

*SLAM!*

They both hit the ground.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Shake it baby!” Heckled Rudey to the Mare swinging on the pole.

“I tell you mate, that bitch snuck her way out” Rocco complained, downing the last of his vodka.

“Or you know…maybe she just wasn’t home” Rudey replied paying more attention on the girls than his partner.

“na man, hey any word on were that little shit is?”.

“Which one, that Mutton guy or Snipey babe?”.

“Either”.

“The geeky kid’s a ghost right now but I managed to scrap out that Snips lived at some mare’s house in ponyville, chick who sells dope to here on Thursdays”
“I’m telling you, once we find Snips we’ll find that brown guy and his bitch mother then…I get to have fun”.

“Any ideas”.

“Yeah….a skinning knife and a lot of lemon juice”.

“nice…, hey bozzy, fill me up will yay”.

“Sure thing rude” replied the bartender.

“Top me up too” asked A green colt, appearing from the entrance door and pulling a stool next two the thugs, leaving them both in a stupor.
“Speak of the devil and he shall appear” joked Rocco “So where’ve ya been Snips, we’ve all been missing you here.

“I’m here to talk to Guy about my resignation” Snips replied, his attention focused on his beverage.

“Hah what do you mean?” snidely remarked Rudey, rubbing the handle of his gun.

“It means I’m quitting you Ginger retard” Snips insulted, taking a large swig of his beer.

As if time had stopped both Lackeys reached for their weapons, ready to put the Green Dog down, sadly for them they were too slow for Snips quick hoofs, before they could even raise their pistols Snips with a flick of his silver scissors cut deep into the Side of Rudey throat, Slitting his neck.

“What the!..” was the last thing Rocco could say before like a bolt of lightning Snips had swung the hair utensil upwards and right up through the bottom of the thug’s jaw planting itself deep Into his skull.

The bar exploded with a wave of dancers screaming and customers running out the door in a pack.

Between all of this was Snips, sitting on his stool, drinking his beer.

*SLAM!* came the sound from outside, like the crunching of metal, Snips chirped his head up.

“What was that” he said to himself.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

All button could see was blackness as he opened his eyes, he thought to himself that he must be either heaven or hell, soon through the centre he could just make out the image of a night sky…then brick wall…then windows…then a barely hanging railing, he was alive…but too what extent.

He turned his head, expecting that his spine must be a shattered mess but no, he could feel on his arms the rough feel of paper, looking to what he lay on he was amazed to see boxes, the empty boxes that must have come from the supply room, he was alive…he had cheated death.

“arhhh!” shrilly cried out the voice of someone a few feet away.

There lying spread out on the metal garbage container was Guy, he had survived the fall but not without injury, by the look of him almost every one of his ribs must have snapped like glass as well as his legs, his knees were hanging right on the edge of the box, legs dangling down with no connection to the bone other than the skin, we wouldn’t be walking ever again.

Button sat up and stared at the mob boss, by all account Guy should have died by that fall but somehow through shear will power he was forcing his body to keep chugging.

*errrr* came the sound of the metal basket above them, it barely hung on by the one bolt in it.

“ehh..” gargled The zebra, opening his blood red eyes and shooting them directly at Button’s, a look of pure destruction.

“You!” he yelled, spitting out blood and teeth.

Like a seal, Guy lifted himself with both his arms and threw himself off the container, hitting the ground with a *crack*.

“Leave me alone!” hissed Button trying to drag himself away, his body still somewhat in shock from the four story drop.

Guy’s black and white face was now twisted and contorted with hatred, he wasn’t going to die without Button chocking on his corpse. He swung his metal hoof forward and latched onto Button’s leg.

“I aint gunna die! *SNAP!*” was the last thing he seemed to say before the metal railing fell.

It hit the ground like a thousand tiny pikes sticking themselves deep into the brickwork alley.

*SLAM!* the roared crunch of rusted metal tore through the rain like a saw-blade.

Button stared in pure horror of what he saw, in front of him was Guy…Impaled with over four metal rails, each one going from the grill straight down through his chest and into the ground, he looked like a leaf speared with a stick.

“Oh Goddess” button said to himself, covering his mouth with his hoof, trying hard to hold back something that was brewing in his stomach. The boy cowered with fear, finally he managed to shake himself back, he tried to get back on all fours but couldn’t get the zebra’s Hoof of him, Button pulled his leg away and heard something horrible.

“Bllgggg” gurgled the mouth of Guy, his eyes flittering, his mind still trying to hold on to dear life, it was a disgusting site to see.

Button stepped away from him, his face had no more hatred, no more evil only a look of something of otherworldly fear, like an animal knowing that it’s being killed.

“Heelllghp” he again spat, somewhat unaware of the rods that protruded from down his body.

“Im sorry..I..I..can’t help you” Button replied.

The zebra tried to reach up to button, his face as scared as a Childs.

“BLRGH!” screamed Guy, trying to yell for someone to come.

“P..please be quit” Stammered Button, stepping away slowly.

“HERRRRRHHH!” Guy again shouted out, bloody coughs in between.

“Shut up!” Order the brown colt putting his hands over his ears.

Again the zebra shouted with bloody moans.

Button didn’t know what to do, he wanted all this too end, why couldn’t this zebra just die already, just looking at him was horrifying but the sound, the smell, it all attacked buttons senses, he had to do something fast, he needed the fear to stop, he needed it all gone, he need to act. Without even thinking or maybe just thinking instinctively Button grabbed one of the fallen bricks from of the ground and walked up to the Guy.

The last thing Button Ashley Mash Remembered was the look on Guy’s face when he saw the brick, his eye’s…his face….his fear.

“NOOO” *CRACK!*.

Season 2 Part 1: You Gained A Heart Piece.

Author's Note

didn't take too long for the next one did it,this chapter I want to focus a lot more on love. I hope you enjoy it and like always leave a comment it makes my day and like always stay awesome guys and gals.

Season 2 Part 1: You Gained A Heart Piece.

*CRACK*

“BUTTON!” Screamed out Snips, running out from the corner-wall towards the Colt who now stood traumatized over the zebra's body, a bloodied brick in his hoof, his face plastered with a dead-pan expression that chilled the air around him.

“Button what in Gai’s name have you done!” cried Snips stopping in place and running his hoofs through his mane.

“I..I…just wanted…him to…stop screaming…” blankly stuttered button, still frozen in place.

“Jeez…eh screw the prick, c’mon man we gotta go now before the guard gets here!” gestured the green colt, grabbing button by the arm.

“I want to go home” squeaked button, somewhat disjointed from the real world.

“We are man, were good now, your mom’s back at the house, I just need you to stay calm and get into my coach across the road, here g..give me that” carefully asked Button, slowly removing the bloody red brick from his hoof, “I’ll take care of this, just wait for me in the coach, I’ll take you home” Snips finished, gesturing Button out of the alley as he looked around for any form of evidence.

With the brick he carefully put it down over Guy’s now indented skull, making it seem as if it collided with him on the fall down, The green colt nearly vomited as he got close to the corpse, the site was something out of a horror movie, all bloodied and impaled with metal stakes, bones broken, crushed and twisted.

Grabbing a few more fallen bricks he covered them over the crushed boxes, sealing up any evidence that button was here, lastly he picked up Berry’s pistol from the far end of the alley, putting it in his mane. The scene was grotesque to see…but at least it could be tied to Button.

He gave one last walk around of the scene, fixing any mirror details then finally leaving to his coach, he knew the guard would be here in a minute or so by now.

As he opened the coach door he saw button crawled up in his arms, like a cold scared child, Snips couldn’t tell if he was crying or not, he turned on the engine and drove off as inconspicuously as possible, sirens could be heard in the distance.

“Snips…why did you come?” whimpered Button, wiping his eyes.

“to stop you from…..doesn’t matter now, were both in the same boat on this one” the green colt replied, keeping his eyes on the road.

“there going to find us” Button sqeaked, falling into his arms.

“I doubt that, Rocco and Rudey…aren’t going to hurt anyone anymore” muttered Snips in reply.

“did you?”

Snips gave a sigh at the question asked, “yeah…I did” he retorted.

Both Colts went silent and focused on the road, not wanting to continue their conversation.

Button stared out the window, the outside was black and miserable.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“so how did you and Snips meet” asked Karen, taking a snip of her canned beer.

“kind of a boring story” Berry sheepishly replied, rubbing her neck.

“Well I’ve got nothing but time right now, go ahead”.

The purple mare put her hoofs in her lap.

“we meet around…oh..three years ago, back when snips had just finished school, by what he says he got employment at the local barber but was fired after a drunken mishap involving some Colt’s ear, after that he placed a note up on the community notice board, Need cheap Home to rent, please contact Snips McKowsky at yadadada.

“I take it you gave him a call?” chimed in Karen, a comforting smile on her face.

“not till he had already gone through two other tennets” she joked.

“I called him and asked if he’d like to stay in this old place, I had just got it of my dead mother and I didn’t like the…loneliness.

Karen gave a nod in reply but her smile was more sad than happy.

“So we meet, he seemed nice enough, decent talker, The only thing I didn’t like was all his petty little crimes, stealing TVs, joyriding coaches, stuff like that…but eventually he became my best friend” Berry finished, circling the tip of her hoof around the rim of her can.

“do you like him?” Karen asked, her tone very comforting.

The purple mare bit her bottom lip, “He’s very…attractive to me, but…jeez…there’s more than a 15 year age frame there…he’s eighteen….it makes me feel so…old” confided Berry.

“By the way he acted earlier I don’t think he really cares” Karen replied.

“mmmm….what about you, what ever happened to Button’s dad?” Berry asked.

“Probably living somewhere in Manehatten now, he cheated on me so I kicked him out” shot back Karen in a rehearsed tone.

“oh I’m sorry I...” the purple mare stuttered.

“It’s ok…It’s been years now, Im used to it, Walton was a good Colt but he slipped up…” she began to go croaky, “Great with the kids but…I couldn’t …believe he could…with someone else…It’s like stealing away something away from you, I loved him” Argued the old girl, losing track on her voice, she began to tear up abit at the thought.
Berry put a hoof on Karen’s shoulder.

“Now Im..the one who’s sorry” joked Karen, wiping away a stray tear.

“Did you ever get in contact with him after”?.

“only for financial things…but no, I just assumed if we stop speaking about him he’d just fade away, but…I still see him in my children’s faces”.

Berry rubbed her friend’s back as she let out a few sobs.

“Button’s all I’ve got left now of him…He’s all I’ve got period, the day he leaves I’ll just…I don’t know” whimpered Karen her tears clinking against the top of her beer.
*Errr!* went Snip’s couch from the distance, parking into the driveway.

Both girls immediately got up, and ran to the door, waiting to see who would walk through.

They could hear steps trotting up the concrete path.

Soon the door jarred open and slowly Button came through the door being held up By Snips, he looked sad and miserable, like a Broken glass, shattered and cold, but the moment he and his Mother locked eyes their faces soon exploded with teary joy, running to each other they clasped on the floor, embracing each other.
“Oh my baby, I’ve been so worried” Karen Mash cried, kissing him constantly on the fore-head.

Button merely remained silent, he was more happy than he had ever felt before, it was over, he lived, he made it back home.

Both Snips and Berry gave a smile at the reunion; Snips had redeemed himself for what he had done to them both.

“What happened?” whispered Berry, resting her head on his neck.

“A lot…but we’ll talk latter” Snips replied, kissing her on the temple.

“Oh baby, what happened to you, your face is so beat up” Karen asked, pulling his fringe away from his face.

Button wiped away the tears from his blood-shot eyes.

“I..I..dont want..t talk about it!” he sniffled.

“that’s ok dear, not tonight, c’mon let’s get you on the couch”, with a quick heave she slumped him onto the apolistry, he could barely move a muscle.

“Mom Im so sorry” he chirped lying back.

“its fine baby, I’ll go get you something to eat” Karen commented getting up and heading towards the kitchen but button had already fallen asleep.

“I’ve got to tell her what happened” Snips whispered to Berry, both of them falling forth to Karen who was cracking open a packet of noodles.

“I need to tell you what happened” carefully said snips to the mother.

“Look whatever extremely stupid thing he did I doubt I want to know” she shot back, trying to dismiss him.

“It’s not a ‘want’ it’s a ‘need’” he replied.

She gave a sigh and hung her head, knowing that what Snips was about to say might destroy something within her.

“Fine…what’s been going on” Karen asked.

The green colt squirmed abit with his words but he told it as true as he could.

“a few days button gave me some change for an interview…

….

5 minutes later.

…..
…And that’s when we got here yesterday” he continued.

The look on Karen Mash’s face was that of controlled shock and hatred for the Colt in front of her.

“you sold my son drugs, you call the mafia on him ..and me…you let him get beaten half to death…and then…you sign his fucking death note…What Sort of Sick motherfuckin’ son of a discord are you” she coldly said, using all her composure not to swing a hoof in his direction.

Snips’s face was long and deep with sorrow, he knew this was always his fault, what he had done to these people.

“I’m not sure what I am, Ive been asking myself that for years now…what I do, what I want to be...I haven’t got a single clue to my life from here, but your son a good kid, I know Ive hindered more than I’ve helped but Goddess help me I’ll try an way I can from now on” Snips replied, his tone un-wavering and truthful.
The mother’s face was a sneering one but she gradually began to calm down at the words he said.

“…look just tell me what he left this house today…please tell me didn’t have anything to do with the gangsters” Karen asked.

“today he was talking about not wanting to be killed…he had that…look about him, he kept saying that sooner or later they would show up and finish him off…so, he asked me for something to protect him” The green colt said, Berry grabbing her mouth as she remembered how he ran upstairs to the wine cabinet.

“Oh goddess please tell me you didn’t” interjected Button’s mother, her eye’s wide as it soon became obvious what the green colt was about to say next.
Snips went silent.

“OH GODDESS!” cried out Karen, slamming the noodle package against the side of the kitchen counter, popping the bag and shattering them into a million tiny fragments on the floor.

“heh..heh..did he do it” she asked gripping the bench, trying not to collapse.

He slowly took the pistol from out his mane and opened the clip, revealing to the two mares one missing bullet.

The mother slumped down onto the floor , her face blank and expressionless.

“It’s over for him” she quietly said.

Snips played his Ace.

“No, Not for him” he replied to her.

“How” she asked, desperately wanting to hear.

“They’re not going to come looking for him…they’ll be looking for me” Snips stated to the mares.

“what” Berry jeered.

“By the way the place is set up, I’m the only they can pin there” he explained to them.

“but how?”.

“Because I made one big stupid scene inside” Snips replied, rubbing his mane.

“What did you do” both girls said at once.

“The brick and the ginger” coded Snips to Barry making her immediately understand.

“What did Button…who did button…” she nodded in gesture, not wanting to say ‘kill’ and trying extremely hard not to think into it, she only wanted the blunt answers, then she could get muddling in her emotions…but not now.

“ By what I saw….Him and the zebra had an accident from his fourth story office, maybe Button threaten him with the gun, I don’t know ,but somehow they fell from the stair-cage.” Went on Snips, thinking about the horrific scene e saw in the alleyway.

“How did Button survive the fall” Karen asked, still remaining cold and blunted.

“Landed on a pile of boxes….as for the zebra…..he hit the ground….the cage fell on top of him”.

Karen started to barter thoughts in her head on the issue.

“By what you’re saying all button did was threaten him, the guy…the zebra died because of an accident.” She protested to snips.

“I found a bullet hole in his chest, in any court that’s attempted murder…” the green colt interjected to her.

“My poor baby…Oh Goddess Oh goddess why” broke down Karen mash, realizing exactly what had happened to her youngest son, “he’s going to live with this for the rest of his life”.

Snips still stood sorrowfully, knowing what she would say next.

“What have you done to our family!” she growled, getting up and slamming a hoof in the side of his jaw, hitting his head against the fridge and rolling him onto the floor.

*Cough Cough* went Snips, spitting the blood from his lip.

Karen quickly followed with a sharp kick in the gut, thumping him again, Berry went to stop it but Snips raised a hoof in interjection.

“Stop, let her get it out of her syste…” stuttered the green colt, receiving another kick, this time somewhat lower.

She layed hoof and heart him for about 2 minutes before she fell to the ground in exhaustion.

“F…Fuck..you” heaved Karen, beads of sweat dripping down her head.

“eggghhh” replied the beaten boy, dragging himself up.

“Are you two finished” asked Berry to the two, talking to them like children.

Karen gave a little nod to the purple mare, her mane brushing over her right eye and causing her to wipe her head, she felt satisfied with her stress release.

“Karen Dear , there’s a spare bedroom you can use down the hall to the left, or if you want you can get some sheets and sleep down in the lounge room with button, Snips you can get your ass up and clean the floor” Berry Advised to them, causing Karen to get up and head back to her son.

“Why is it *cough* everyone who come here kicks my ass” said Snips, drunkenly getting back up onto four hooves.

Berry with a stern face stepped forward right into his face and grabbed him by the scuff of his neck.

“why the fuck did you do something so stupid” she barked in a low whispered.

“I…I had to save Button”.

“that’s a flying load of Pegasus shit, you killed them because you hated them” .

Snips didn’t know how to argue, so he just said what came to him…no matter how psychopathic it sounded.

“Fine, truth is I don’t know why I did it, I stepped in the bar looking for the kid, I saw the two of them…then something just took over!” he blurted out to her.

“Drugs you could lay low on…but three counts of murder …Snips you’re up shit creek here! “

“You think I don’t know that!, hell, I’m going to have to move my ass to Saddle Arabia to get away from the heat that’s gunna hit me!” he shouted out, neither of the two backing down.

“How do you think this is going to affect me?” Berry barked.

“Sorry I wasn’t thinking, I was too focussed on how I going to live the rest of my life in either a prison or on an island somewhere”.

“No, I mean what do you think I’m gunna do without you”.

“I don’t know, eat, drink, breathe…what-ever it is you normally do” replied Snips, unaware of the sincerity in her words.

“*sigh*….look just go to bed” she told him, putting a hoof-tip between her eyes.

“I can’t….you just gave my room away to her” he pouted.

“No…go get in my bed” she said sternly.

“why” again replied Snips, somewhat foreign to her intentions.

“Because I’m hoping to fuck you for at least half the night you idiot” Berry growled, pulling him by the neck.

Snips seemed confused till a stupid grin etched its way on his face once he realised what she wanted.

He stumbled his way behind her, up the stairs and into her bedroom.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

1 hour ago…

…..

But war, war never changes…..

8Bit lip-synced along with the narrator as he replayed Fallout: Equestria for the fifteenth thousand time, hoping that this time we would be able to see if he could get a better ending.

“MOM!” he yelled out his bedroom door.

“WHAT!” the mother mare replied.

“HAVE WE GOT ANYMORE MOUNTAIN DEW!”.

“NO!, I DRANK IT” belted his mother, sounding like she was half drunk already.

“K!” 8Bit sadly bellowed, returning to his game.

“you know it’s not like I buy it myself or anything, id just you know expect for atleast one can left” he mumbled to himself, settling with a rather chunky bottle of coke left under hi computer table.

“eh, I hate the stable part, just let me kill something already”.

*CRASH!* he heard from outside his window, like the sound of a food trolling falling off a bridge onto concrete.

“What the!” 8Bit said to himself running to his window and looking out, he could barely see a thing through the rain and night sky… but what he could just barely make out was a large metal cage lying on the ground floor of the alleyway.

“What was that!” yelled out the boy’s mother.

“One of the ladder-cages from across the road broke off” replied the boy, noticing a faint blur beside the wreckage, like a brown smudge.

“oh, well I hope no-one got hurt” she echoed through the hallway.

8Bit continued to eye out the scene, he didn’t know if he felt intrigued or just bored by it, Suddenly a green Colt walked out the door and towards the alley, 8Bit swore he knew him from somewhere…and he did, and he knew who the brown Colt leaving that alley was, the same two ponies from the night before.

‘What the hell are you doing there Button’ the orange Colt said to himself, rubbing his chin.

*BRRRRRNG BRRRRRRRNG* went his cell phone bouncing around on his desk.

“Hello?” answered 8Bit, not taking his eyes off the scene.

“Hey man, how’ve you been?” asked his artist friend, Inkspot.

“Good, how about you, you looked abit weird today at school today” he quietly replied.

“Well that’s what I wanted to talk to you about today…but I don’t know how you’ll feel about it?” Inkspot addressed in a very strange tone.

“w..what is it” 8Bit replied carefully, unsure of what he would say.

“My dad…I accidentally left my phone on the table….he searched my messages”.

“Oh no, no no no, no this is bad, did he find our ones?”.

“he knows about you and me” Inkspot said, his tone had fear in it.

“Fuck Man!” 8Bit shouted to himself, falling down onto his bed.

“I don’t know what to do, he’s acting really weird to me” fretted Inspot, sounding like he was tearing up.

“Look, can we talk about it tomorrow at school; I need some time to think of something”.

The frustrated Colt grabbed his ears and tried to think about the situation, the secret he had been keeping for so long, now divulged, it made him feel scared, scared of what could happen.

“Ok…Hey 8Bit” his friend squeaked, hearing the frustration the Colt was in.

“Yeah Inky” 8Bit replied, hoping he would say something comforting.

“I…I..I love you..bro”.

“….I love you too Inky, I really do…. hey, did you see my latest devArt”.

“Yeah, Your picking up colour blending really fast though you still need to work on your perspective, other than that I’m looking forward to what you do next”.

“I’ll think of something Inkspot just give me some time” The colt said, talking less about the art and more about his feelings.

“See ya man…sorry about all this….to be honest, I just hate hiding this from people, I know you don’t like to talk about it”.

The orange Colt gave an exhausted sigh, “It’s not that I don’t like talking to you about what ‘we’ do together...I really do enjoy the things we ‘do’….it’s just that…What would people think if they found out”.

“I’m so sorry, I should’ve deleted the messages…at least I should have got rid of the fucking pictures, errr!” growled the Colt.

“hey!, it’s ok…but we’ll talk about it tomorrow when I get off the bus,ok?” asked 8bit, calming his loved one.

“ok, ok…ok, tomorrow, it’s just…I don’t know how I feel, I don’t know…I’m gunna go watch some TV or something, get my mind of it, night”.

“Goodnight babe”.

They both gave a chuckle.

“see ya babe” 8Bit happily replied, ending the call and hoping onto his computer, opening a folder under the name of ‘school work’ and clicking on one of the many given pictures of Inkspot, helping him to find comfort with his feelings.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The empty bar thumped in and out with the still-playing sound of the bass coming from the dance floor. The room felt cold and dark, only lit by the bright pink-tinted lights that illuminated around the club. The stage was empty, the seats unoccupied, the entirety of the once packed Crimson hearts Club was no reduced to one lone pony choking in his own blood.

*Cough Cough* spattered Rudey as he opened his eyes, the side of his face drenched in his own fluids, jerking his head around he looked side to side trying to see where he was, The colt could feel a sharp searing pain in his neck, he was about to rub around his throat when he soon remembered what had happened to him.

‘Oh shit’ he fearfully thought to himself, realizing that his neck had been slit, he couldn’t feel any more blood coming out so he assumed it must have clot.

He hunched himself upright and looked around the empty club, it was baron. He tried to stand up, hobbling to his hooves he tried to keep himself stable as he stepped forward instantly tripping ad landing onto something lip and cold.

‘Shi!t’ he thought to himself praying that the fall had reopened his wound, drunkenly stretching out his arms he tried to lift himself off of whatever we was lying on.
‘SHIT!’ his brain screams as he saw what the limp thing was; Rocco.

Rudey shook him, hoping he was just unconscious, he push him left and right trying to wake his dead friend up, he wanted to say so many words, to yell out for help, but the Colt knew knew he couldn’t-no one was around.

Rudey had to stop or he would lose what extremely little strength he had. He could clearly see that his partner was dead, hell; the bloody hole in his jaw was reason enough.

The red colt, feeling both saddened and cliché, closed his eyes and gave a few parting words with his companion of seven years.

He could hear the sirens approaching, he knew there was no way he’d stick around for the guard, he needed to leave now, tearing off some curtain and scarfing it around his neck he hobbled out the back door, stepping out into the alley way, not even noticing the giant steel frame mashed into the ground.

Rudey didn’t want to tear up at the thought of his murdered friend, it mad him sad to think about it.

Season 2 Part 2: Check Your Inventory.

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Season 2 Part 3: Hard Reset

Author's Note

Hope it's been a long enough break for you all, due to more than a few fan messages I've decided to keep going with the series, if it feels a bit off than it's probably because I'm a little rusty. thanks for all the positive replies and fan-art, I wouldn't have gone past ep 1 if it wasn't for you guys :), stay beautiful.

Season 2 Part 3: Hard Reset

Button sat waiting at the bus-stop, swinging his legs back and forth as he watched for the bus to come grinding along to him, Ponyville look moderately dead this early in the morning, the only ones out were old Mares walking their dogs or suited up business-folk driving their shiny new coaches into Canterlot city. Button didn’t mind waiting by himself, he always loved how the sun would lazily raise up through the tall mountains, cutting through the clouds with radiation beams of gold as they licked at button’s face like a puppy, he had a lot more of an appreciation for the sun nowadays, it reminded him that he was safe and alive.

He began to kick at the dusty ground, shooting up dry dirt for no real reason, he wasn’t sure why but today he felt very happy to go back to school, I guess after all the stuff that had happened, him getting kidnapped, his holdout at berry’s … the Zebra, he felt like he needed something to look forward to, today would be it, his life would now be sunshine and Celery stalks.

*BRR BRR* growled the old bus as it slowly approached the pickup stop, Button could see the faces of ponies, so blank, so contempt with what-ever they were doing, it made him remember how high the school was, just a bunch of kids hanging around complaining about things that they never really cared about.

Button sat up and approached the yellow coach, it’s rusty doors sliding open and its prune faced driver staring him down, a slight lick of confusion on him.

“Boy what happened to your face, you get kicked in the head or something?" he grizzled, tracking all the big and little bruises on Button’s mug.

Button said nothing, he merely walked onto the bus and have a grunt of laughter at what the bus driver asked, not acknowledging the question. He again looked at all the faces on the bus, blank and un-caring, the only stray in the crowd was the look on Rumble and Scarlet’s face as they saw their missing friend, faces shocked and eyes as wide as dinner plates. Button approached them, his face placid and normal as if nothing had ever happened.

The brown colt took a seat next to Scarlet, her face still in dumb-struck.

“Mornin’” casually said button, sliding into the folds of the leather seat.

The girl stared at him as if he was a ghost, it wasn’t till Rumble violently jumped onto the empty seat in front of them did her brain finally snap back to normal, with hooves wide open she wrapped both arms around Button, griping as tight as she could so he wouldn’t disappear in front of her, washing away like sand.

“errhh! Good eh, morning to you too egh scarlet” heaved Button, his lungs being squished like grapes at the young girl’s embrace..
“Where have you been dude!” shot Rumble, eyeing out all the boy’s bruises.

Button’s brain immediately switched into alibi mode, telling them exactly what he had been told by his mother.

“I’ve been staying at snips’s place for a few days, getting stoned ya know”.

They both gave him a queer look.

“Are you telling me you ran off just to get ripped for a few days” menacingly said the orange mare, fires burning in her eyes as her rage built up, her nature switching from shock and love to stuing anger at his story.

“At least I’m not dead” quickly replied Button, pushing himself into the sit, trying to re-assure her.

“Do you have any Idea how fucking worried I was….I thought you had been kidnapped or raped or killed!” she bitterly said, a grimace on her face as she stared down the mocha colt.

“But I’m not…´button replied with, speaking with a little more conviction but indeed a lot of her at what she was going to do next.

“What the hell happened to your face?” asked Rumble, still staring blankly at all the bruises and missing teeth.

Scarlet as well started noticing how beat up Button looked; whatever had happened had made him look like he had just been in a Rocky movie.

“I…um…me and snips got in a fight over the one of the last viles, he…won as you can see” Button stuttered, trying hard to remember what he was supposed to say.

The two of button’s friends looked to each other with half confusion plastered on their face.

“Look, the point is I’m back, I’m fine so let’s just get on with our day” bursted Button, rubbing his neck and acting cheery.

“You’re acting….weird” Rumble stated, reading Button’s face like a book.

“Button can you explain just maybe a tensy wincy bit more about why the hell you went missing for two days?” Scarlet asked, eyeing out the Colt.

“Like I said I left to go get high at “ Button quickly got cut off by Scarlet’s Goth friend who grabbed her by the shoulder and pushed a small radio up to her ear.

“Check this out Scar!” the pale Mare said, paining little mind to Rumble or Button, she drove the little hand-held radio in Scarlet’s ear.

A disembodied radio DJ began to speak, “Crazy right, So basically what the royal-guard are sayin' is that some druggo associated with the Canterlot juicers cartel stormed into their HQ, killed one of there lackies then shot the Zebra king pin, Guy Gwangee the notorious druglord right out the window, inspector’s saying he looked like a mushed potato after the upper railing fell on him on the way down, haha, looks like the king of the juicers got juiced himself, so anyway if you catch a green colt with eh..let me just read this, ah yes, a green colt with goldish orange hair immediately contact the royal guard, he is considered extremely dangerous and may be carrying a pistol and or knife, ok so now let’s go to the classics with ‘Somebody’s watching me’ by Rockwell…” the Goth girl flicked the radio then shot Scarlet a wicked grin.

“8Bit called me about that last night, he said the police came around and questioned him and his mom, shit’s crazy” Rumble added, speaking to the three ponies.

“Button, where did you get your drugs from?” asked Scarlet, turning around to Button and seeing him stone cold with a deathly blank look on his face, as if all the life had been sapped from him.

“No!!! *Crack!* Please! *crack* I HOPE YOU FAGGOTS BURN IN HELL! *CRACK!* GO AHEAD FUCK-TARD DO IT, YOU SHIT!, FUCKING DO IT!” *crack* *Crack* *CRACK!*” Button’s head was screaming at him with the horrid voices of the last few days, screeching at his thoughts like vultures picking at his ear-drums, he could hear the noises, see the horrors, smell the blood, it tore his brain apart like a blender of nails.

“Button…” said a voice.

“…what were you saying?” asked button, a single bead of sweat dropped from his nose, as his eye’s had a deepness to them that when further than any ocean.

Scarlet looked at him with a scared and bewildered look on her face, as subtle as Button was trying to be he could not hid how he looked to them, he needed to be cool, calm and collected if he was going to get away with this.

Button relaxed deep into the seat and closed his eyes, pretending to get some rest, this seemed to work well as both Scarlet ,Rumble and the Sadist returned to lounging against the window, scarlet looked at button then laid her head down on his shoulder, her ears brushing the side of his cheek, she was happy to have him back, alive and whole, Button felt the same, he felt loved, felt needed.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The day was typical for button, he got off the bus, went to the library (of course have to explain himself to his circle of friends) , went to class, explained himself there, went to lunch, again having to explain to people about his appearance. The day dragged on and on as his idealic day started to grow to a plain grind through familiar territory, we wanted something, he wasn’t sure what it was, it bit at the back of his head like a horse fly, stinging at his thoughts, tiny claws started to scratch at his brain.

He would walked between peering faces and chatty mouths through the day, he would smile, say hello and wave to them with a face he never seemed to truly wear, the only real respite he got was his friends, there interests quickly turned from buttons face and alibi to videogames (as usual), the seemed more curious about completing dark souls and Bloodborne then listening to buttons alibi, it made button happy, he felt he had gotten away with mur…well you get the phrase.

“I love that giant switch-razor weapon” said Inkspot to Rumble and Manga, making gestures to both, Manga who replied with a simple nod, reading his imported yuri comic.

“So you guys want to go to the beach on the weekend or something” chimed in button, asking an extremely foreign question to his friends, his cheek resting plumply on his hoof.

“You’re not serious are you” replied Inkspot, his face dumbstruck, “where nerds bro, why the hell would we want to go to the beach?”
“I dunno, we could go swimming or something, let’s just…do something, we hang out at pizza joints and games stores all the time” sulked Button, scratching his arm.

“Do you know how salty beach water is, plus once you get out your all sticky and your covered in sand…eh, its nasty, your eyes sting, your coat gets full of crap” Button’s friend rebutted turning back to his one sided conversation with Manga.

Button sat around listening to them (well him), they had no interest in doing anything else. Getting up and looking through the isles he found a filmography, hoping to find something interesting, Button looked at the pictures of pop culture past when he began to feel dizzy. He felt his head go limp as he fell against the isle, his weight smashing into photography and sculpture, he could hear a trickling sound as his vision went blurry, touching his face he noticed his nose was bleeding into the film book, spilling across the plastic pages like red wine.

“Oh goddess” Button yelped as he pressed his nose up, regaining his balance and sliding back up the row of books, heaving reality up through the shroud.

He shut the blood bathed book and slide it back into its place, holding his nostrils and rushing past his friends, passing 8Bit and he left the library.

8Bit gave a little wave but got no replied as Button left too fast for him to bother.

The Colt went towards the two nerds and gave Inkspot a tug on the arm as he pulled him into a nearby isle, manga still sitting on a chair and reading.

The orange boy looked through the holes within the book rows, hoping that no-one was within earshot.

“So what happened” asked 8Bit with anxiety, both his hoofs holding onto Inkspot’s arms, eyes wide and uncertain.

The vanilla Coat Colt stared at 8Bit for a second, his look calm, his mouth cracked at the left edge with a slight smile.

He pulled out his phone and showed the 8Bit, a single message received with the contact of ‘Dad’.

8Bit ran his eyes along the text, unsure of what it could mean.

It read.

From: Dad
‘Inky…I don’t know how to tell you this in person so I’ll have to be the weaker man and console myself with this message; if I do have the courage to send this too you then know that I mean every word.
I know you’ve always been…strange, different I mean, I thought it would just be a faze, something you’d grow out of, something you’d shake off, I’d always had it in the back of my mind but it wasn’t till I saw the pictures that I actually had to come to terms with it, with you, the way you are, the way you feel towards….towards boys, at first I was shocked, pictures of you and your friend…doing things, sending pictures of each-other’s bits, But It seems I forgot to notice the other pictures, the ones of you and him smiling together, happy and bright-eyed, best friends…the greatest of pals, I really don’t know how to word this so Ill just stop dancing around it like I always seem to do, If you are GAY, then please know I love you no matter what you choose to do or enjoy in life, I only want to see you happy Inky, if 8Bit makes you feel happy, the same way your mother made me feel happy, just enjoying being together then…you love him with all your heart, he’s a good kid, he’s had it tough, dealt a bad hand you know, make him happy, be happy yourself.

I love you Son.

The two Colt stood there silent for a few moments, neither knowing how to say to respond, they were happy but shocked all the same.
Eventually 8Bit broke the silence like glass, pushing forward and wrapping his arms around Inkspot, his head between shoulder and cheek both embraced each other in a hug, without saying a word they told each other it was going to be alright.

“hey, 8Bit…” calmly asked Inkspot, his edge crack smile re-appearing.

“yeah” replied the smaller orange Colt, looking up at his friend, his wide eyes washed with a pooling pupil of Safire blue, ready to hear anything from him.

“Which do you like more, Dark souls or Bloodborne?”.

The two boys chuckled, still wrapped in a warm embrace.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button threw his head into the pool of cold water that was the boys bathroom sink, drowning his face in the white ceramic bowl of grey water, populating it a murky red, red blood. He soon tore he head back out, starved for air, hitting the side of head on the tap and holding back a large scream he kicked the tiled wall. His stomached bubbled and sputtered as he could feel it trying to twist and turn in knots.

‘Im Ok, Im ok’ said to himself, rubbing away the water from his eyes and pushing his wet fringe away from his face.

He looked at himself in the mirror, he began to see what everyone else was seeing, a face like beaten dog, bruised and splintered, missing teeth and split lips. He didn’t know what was happening to him, he was back, he was alive, he could live the dream he wanted, that he prayed for…then why did he want something, something he didn’t even know, unaware if it was physical of just psychological. He craved for it, he couldn’t understand what ‘it’ was, then it came….’it’ came for him.

“You’ve got the cravens in your head mon” joked a voice, a demonic cruel voice, breaking the silence in the room .

Button swung his head around the bathroom, his heart deep in his gut.

There was nothing, an empty room, devoid of a face to own a such a voice.

“Still here kid, Still stuck your mind” again spoke the foreign voice, pressed so close to button, like a tumor.

Again button shot his head around the lavatory, seeing nothing.

“where are you?” spat button, darting his eyes back and forth, up and down.

“Here” replied the voice, Button identifying its owner and falling down onto the wet sticky tiles, looking up into the ghostly mirror, a dead face gazing down at him. The Zebra, the Guy, his body a mix of black white and red all over, insides spewing to outsides, eye’s black and empty.
“I’m still here , I’ll always be here, always here inside your mind, its cosy in here ya know, lots of pain, lots of buried sadness” laughed the ghoul, his mouth twisted and sickly.

Button drove his hoofs up against his eyes, shutting them tightly, locking them shut trying to hid from the nightmare.

“Still here, I’m not leaving, you’ll never let me” again cheerfully said the voice, so deep in buttons ear that it rumbled in his head, feeling his rotting breath running down his neck.

“Shut up!” yelled Button, swing his arm up against the side of his head, beating away the noises, beating away his senses.
“Never ever can I ever leave forever” cruelly chanted the voice, fading out as did Button’s consciousness, the beating stopped, the voice stopped, it all went black.

…

..

.

“Button Mash?” creped in a familiar voice.

Button woke up, his mind in shambles, his brain in reset.

“Why the hell are you on the floor?” reverberated the voice, different but ugly all the same.

The mocha Coat Colt creaked open his eyes, looking up he could see the blurred shape of a manila student with a sweater draping of his neck and a gold watch strapped to his arm, he knew who it was, Back-slash.

Button stood staring for a second, his head felt like it was being pulled of and replace with a new one, a nicer one, a worth-while one.
“Oh hi Slash” Button replied, cracking a side smile and rubbing his neck.

“Eh…hi, why are you on the ground?” he asked, not noticing the blood in the sink or the bruises on buttons face.

“I uh…I was, well stupid thing happened you see, I was springing a leak but when I started walking away I slid in some piss and must have hit my head, how long have I been out bud” joked Button, lifting himself onto rickety legs.

Back-slash looked extremely confused, less humour and more dumbstruck to what Button was saying.

“its 1.57…bud, how uh, long have you been out?”.

Button walked towards the door with a smile on his face, “thanks Slash I owe you” politely replied Button, fully aware that he had been out for 3 hours, his new head was kind, happy and funny, a mask that wasn’t easy to wear, but a mask he needed to wear.

As button stepped out the bath room he realized exactly what time it was, if he didn’t hurry he would miss his last lesson, he was probably already going to be asked for the other two, he could miss this one, it was English, pushing his weight forward and what had just happened into the back of his head he sprung into a jog, sprinting towards his last lesson…but his first real boss fight.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As button turned the corner he crashed hard into a passing mare, knocking them both onto the plastic tiles and crumbling both of them in a mess, button lifted his head up and tried to say sorry until he saw who it was, who he prayed it wouldn’t be, by all the forces on heaven and hell why oh why did it have to be this white mare with pink and lavender hair, for whom the Belle tolls, it tolls for Button.

“Ouch! Watch it bucko!” snarled Sweetie, lifting her head of the ground and turning to her abuser, her face going dumbstruck as she saw who it was.

“Button!” she gasped, seeing the marks on his face.

“Hey sweetie” he replied, a half-forced smile on his face.

“What the heck happened to your head?” Sweetie asked lifting herself and lending him a hoof.

“Oh…uh just a bit of a fight, nothing big” Button joked, rubbing his arm.

“fight?, you don’t get into fights?” she confusingly rebutted.

“Which is why It was a pretty one sided fight” he again joked, this time brining a sweet chuckle that she tried to hid with her hoof.
“Oh, I never got to hear your opinion on the show?” Sweetie asked, picking her saddlebag of the ground.

“My opinion is going to be the same as any others, the show was fantastic” replied Button, losing track on time.

“Yes but what was ‘wrong’ with it?” she coaxed, wanting to here constructive criticism rather than praise.

“There wasn’t really anything wrong with it, at least for your performance….I guess…the lighting was off?” the colt replied to her, truthfully not finding any flaws with her show, she never had flaws when it came to her singing, it was as smooth as butter.

“C’mon, can’t someone just say something bad about it?” Sweetie said with frustration, crossing an arm over the other and looking towards the lockers.

“I’m sorry but there really was nothing for me to complain about...” he told her, watching her face sink.

“But” he continued “tell that piss-head bouncer of yours to go and screw himself” Button inputted not sure why it would matter but somehow thinking it would help.

“hmm, hugo, why what he do?” Curiously asked the girl.

“Bastard threw me like ten feet, I swear he broke my hip” Button told her in a somewhat amusing what, cracking his wrist to simulate his hip.
“hah, well I did tell him not to let everybody in…apparently almost everybody” cocked Sweetie, rolling her eyes as her smirk faded.
“Why did a creeper get in?” Button asked.

Sweetie gave herself a thought right there and then, should she tell the truth or play her hand…hmm,s he was going for the gamble.
“well, it was Backslash so I didn’t mind” she replied to him.

“Oh, did he try to get down and kiss your ass?” Button joked.

“Something like that…he was very…personal with his praise” she cooed secretly smiling at the tick Button was getting.

“Well I hope he didn’t try to uh….shoot you or anything” once again joked the colt, his smile becoming more and more plastic.

“thankfully he’s not a quick shooter eh, no he really made me feel….good about my act” she innuendoed again, making button twist his hoof on the floor, she had him right where she wanted him.

“Well…sounds nice…I better uh go and” Stuttered Button as he was cut off.

“I stayed at his place that night, he showed me some more praise in the morning”s he snarked, a smile on her face.

Now any other colt would have left and sat in their own jealousy but Button, he had known sweetie for a very long time, he knew when she was trying to make a point, and to her loss, button also knew what made her tick.

“well not bragging or anything but I also got a little praise that night, then in the morning, then mid-day…infact I think we had been ‘praising’ each-other about five times that day, best ‘appraisal’ I’ve ever had ” shot back Button a smirk on the side of his face and a laser-pointed look at the mare.

Sweetie’s face went red as she hid her anger like a bad habitat, but she couldn’t back down, it wasn’t in her nature, Button wanted to play like that, ok, she was game.

“I guess anything counts as the ‘best’ when you’re for once not just lying on your ass the whole time way through like a dead log” She replied with a high and mighty tone, swishing her mane with her hoof and fluttering her eye lashes like whips.

Button had taken a critical hit but he knew he could win this; he just needed to keep pushing.

“At least she doesn’t use her hooves like cheese graters” Proded the Mocha Colt, criticizing the girl’s handy work.
“We’ll hopefully you didn’t sneeze as you finished this time” defended Sweetie, keeping her ground.

“Oh one time” fuddled Button, buckling in the argument.

“You try to get that stuff out your tail, showers don’t exactly work”.

“We’ll…..you try to keep in the mood when your always having to moan at every little motion, gets pretty annoying, I hope backslash had ear-plugs”.

“oh oh “ shot back Sweetie “at least I don’t slobber all over the other person’s puss…” Sweetie shot back, getting cut off at the end by her passer-by.

“Howdy you two” stepped in Applebloom, acting casual when had been listen to the obvious ex-lovers.

“oh um, hey” they both replied, looking away from each other as they realized that more than a few ponies around them could hear there little argument.

“I’m glad I got both of you here, Applejack’s out tomorrow night so I thought I’d have a little movie night for the gang, I was hoping we could all catch up on old times you know” the yellow farm-girl said, trying to keep out of there fight.

“uh…well I think uh…that thing…on Wednesday” Sweetie stuttered.

Button feeling cocky stepped forth between the two.

“Sure, Ive don’t think I’ve got a ‘thing’ on tomorrow, what time is it” he replied to Applebloom, leaving Sweetie in half-way through her excuse.
“Just turn up around seven, bring a few drinks if you can” the mare replied to Button.

“sounds great….Look forward to it” happily said button, shooting a nasty smile to Sweetie who’s face went stone hard, she wasn’t going to be treated like this.

“You know what, I think I can miss my thing just this one time, for the good of my friends, I’ll bring some beers if I can” sweetie said to both of them, swinging her saddlebag over her back.

Button pierced his eye’s at sweetie who gave him a smirk.

“can we bring a guest with us” cocked Button.

Applebloom knew what he was getting at with sweetie, she wanted to say ‘no’ but then she thought about someone she could enjoy the night with, and so she gave (to the spite of Sweetie belle) a nod of agreement to button.

“Why don’t you bring old Backslash with you?” Button said towards sweetie, walking off towards his now late class.

“Maybe I will!” yelled Sweetie shaking a hoof to button, walked off.

Applebloom gave an annoyed sigh as she went back to her locker.

“Idiots” she whispered under her voice.

As sweetie turned the corner she bumped into a familiar Colt again.

“You called?” Asked Backslash, a coquettish smile on his face and an arm pushed up against a locker.

Sweetie looked at him and gave a sigh as she exhaustively replied to him simply with “Fuck off” then walked to class.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The day ended as it always did, the bell went and the sheep would flurry from the concrete walls like roaches, Button hoped aboard the rickety yellow Bus and found his seat, hoping to invite his girl to a little shindig tomorrow night, he knew it seemed mean to do it out of spite but he did truly want to spend more Time with Scarlet, those precious memories he had while being chained up in that storeroom help him survive there, helped him realize why life was something he wanted.

The dim faces soon poured into the metal vehicle, Colts and mares with not a care to what was around them, they were hungry…for what button couldn’t tell. Rumble stepped on with Scarlet a few teenagers behind, Button could see him moving towards the seat next to him and button gave alittle nod to the empty seat away from him, Rumble seeing this little gesture decided to annoy poor button but swinging hard next to the Colt and spreading his arm around Button’s shoulder.

Scarlet stopped at the two and gave them A displease look as Rumble gave a stupid smile, Button merely gave a shrug.

The orange mare cheerily slumped across the colts and put her head against button’s thigh.

“So how’s your day been” asked Rumble, putting his saddle bag onto Scarlet's stomach.

“Pretty good, although I keep getting people staring at my face” Button replied, playing around with the girls mane.

“When do you think they’re going to heal?” Scarlet asked, looking at the Mocha colt with big dazzling eyes.

“In a few days I hope, I’ll have to see a dentist on the missing teeth though” said Button, putting his tongue in an empty slot and giving a yelp as the sting of pain rattling in his mouth.

“Oh did Applebloom ask you about the movie night?” Rumbled told Button Mash.

“yeah which reminds me, Scarlet, do you um…want to come with me to Applebloom’s house tomorrow night?” Button asked, not sure how she’d go meeting Sweetie.

The orange mares face went blank then sad as it was clear that she wouldn’t be able to make it.

“I’m sorry Button, I can’t I have to go for tutoring with miss Rarity, can we try for another time” she replied to him, unaware of the stab this would do to button’s ego.

“Are you sure you can’t make a rain check” Button pleaded, biting his lip.

“I really wish I could but I just had my first lesson yesterday, I promised her Id show up tomorrow” the mare replied.

Button gave a sigh and sunk his head down until Scarlet softly put her hoof on his cheek and brought him down for a loving kiss.
“I promise I’ll try to work something out another night, just this once is all” she told him, as Rumble looked away from the two’s show of affection.

“Love you babe” Button said to her, loosening his shoulders and lifting the sides of his mouth.

“Love you too” she replied, running her hoof threw his mane and kissing him quite passionately.

Rumble gave a less than believing cough as the two ponies locked their lips in a thick romantic tangle.

Scarlet soon softly pulled button’s head down till it was in ear level with her mouth, with a voice like honey she told him “uh Button….I can uh… feel your joystick pushing up against the back of my head”.

Button’s face quickly dropped as he tried to subtly cross his legs, making Scarlet giggle.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The three friends talked happily threw the bus ride, finally button had gotten back what he wanted so much, he was finally living again, the pain, the fear was finally gone, things had become normal once more, Button was happy.

“Please, Steampunk is way cooler than sci-fi, top-hats and moustaches beat lasers and robots every time, it just looks cooler” Scarlet argued to Rumble, having a rather quasi-nerdy discussion about cosplay.

Rumble gave a mere scoff at the woman’s choice of genre as button just sat quietly and listened to them, he didn’t mind if he wasn’t contributing, he was just happy to be part of it, he looked out the window to the town of ponyville, its cottage houses and colourful tones made button feel warm inside, he could see mother’s strolling there fowls, ponies stopping on the street to talk to one and other, happy faces with cherry cheeks, it was sickenly sweet to Button and it strangely made him happy.

“No no, what I’m saying is that in the original Han clearly shot first, everyone knows that” Rumble rebuddled.

“Well I’ve only seen the special editions so I guess…Button, it’s your stop” Scarlet pointed out to her Colt.

“k, Im off them, see ya tomorrow babe” Button replied; giving the orange mare a kiss then picking up his saddlebag and standing up onto the metal row.

“Oh I see how it is” joked Rumble folding his arms and pouting.

“Hah, love you too bae” replied Button, as he walked to the front of the bus.

“Hey kid, friends of yours?” the bus driver asked, a toothless smile on his pudgy face.

“Hmm” replied button as he hoped of the last step, not really listening *HRRRMPHHH*!!!.

Button once again bumped into someone, someone he above all things else did not want to meet.

“Hello lad, you wouldn’t happen to be Button would you?” asked a heavy build Colt encoiled in the bright shinny armour of an official Canterlot royal guard officer, his face telling button exactly what he wanted.

“y..yes” Button stuttered, frozen solid like a deer in headlights, his face went white.

“I’m glad we found you Mister Mash, you’ve been missing for quite some time, your mother’s been worried sick” he said warmly but still with the stink of ulterior motives.

“I was staying at a friend’s place is all” Button spat out, his voice cracking slightly as the large Stallion stood over him like a mountain.
“That’s what I want to talk to you about, please Sir, if you’d like to come with me I’d like to discuss your were-abouts over the past two days…..and your exact location yesterday night during the time of seven and twelve-thirty” The officer stated, putting his massive hoof on Button’s shoulder, harshly ushering him to walk, Button could see that he had his baton at the ready encase….encase Button tried to run, he was caught, caught like a rabbit in a trap.

The officer led Button to a sleek white coach with red and blue lights atop the roof, inside was a tangle of cables and cords somehow tied to the dash and all hooked up to a silver laptop, one the left side of the vehicle sat another officer, looking to Button and then turning her attention to the Larger fellow next to the boy, she gave a neutral nod then put her radio to her mouth and said something that Button couldn’t make out through the plastic coated windows, he knew it had to do with him.

“Please take a seat Mister Mash” the officer ordered, opening the caged up back of the vehicles, his large brow ruffled in a ‘do it now’ sort of way.

The cute Mare officer sat up in her seat and looked to Button with a happy smile, she must have been in her mid-twenties.

“Hi Button my name officer Jessy, we’ve been looking for you, your mother’s been” the police-women was silenced by the large Colts raised hoof, he had already told Button the exact same line, rehearsed and perfected.

“Are we going to my Mom?” Button stuttered, the uncomfortable seat digging into his back.

“We’ll be meeting her at the station, we picked her up this morning from your house, relax Button, we just want to ask you a few questions when we get there” she replied, her voice kind and polite, for a second Button believed her.

The Mare began typing on the silver laptop as we drove, the larger of the two policemen flicked on the radio, nothing enjoyable, just bad country and the distorted calls of the police-radio as numbers and orders came through like dis-embodied black box.

“So what happened to your face” grunted the Colt checking his rear view mirror to old and new bruises on Button’s face, eying them like evidence to put in an antiseptic bag.

“fight…” The 16 year old replied, sitting with his hoofs in his lap, afraid to move.

Suddenly the coach belted over a pot-hole in the road, bouncing the police-vehicle's insides around like boggle pieces, the Mare’s arm smacked against the side of the laptop making it swing on its hinge towards the centre of the coach, Button could see the screen as plain as day.

Name: Button Ashley Mash

Current Age: 16 years 10 months.

Colour: light brown Coat, ochre Mane, C-Mark: grey cross with small triangular marks inside.

Button saw the charge.

‘Wanted in the case of Guy gwangee and juicer gang, possible accomplice to Snips Abdul Mckowsky, seize and detain imminently, may be found carry narcotics and or possible weapon.

The Colt’s heart tore so far down into his gut that it must have ripped out and fallen onto the road. They caught him with his hooves as red as blood, Mom, Scar, Rumble…Sweetie…all gone.

Button sank deep into the seat, his luck had got him only so far, he just should have left with snips…at least he’d have been free.
But button could never been free, he had never truly known freedom, the taste of cool winds was foreign, he lived life a bird contemptly trapped in a cage.

Season 2 Part 4: Your Lying Morgan!

The Interrogation room felt dead silent, the grey concrete walls seemed to push closer and closer to Button, crushing him like a beetle under a heavy brick, suffocating him. The only stand-out features of the confine was the milky pale door with a plastic window, no bigger than a book, the other feature was the giant mirror that stared back at button, hidden eyes peering through, hoping for him to slip some important piece of information or fall away with the tiniest detail of his alibi, he was alone….almost, there sat someone else in that room, but it only existed to button, a tumor to his thoughts, staring back at him from the mirror, it seemed that it wasn’t going to leave.

Button had been waiting in that room for ten minutes now but to him it truly felt like ten years, the time moved so slow you could drink it like syrup. He swung his feet through the legs of the uncomfortable chair, hoping to kick up invisible dust, he sat there waiting.

*errr* went the pale door, making button jump slightly. In stepped a thinly-built Mare with long faded strawberry pink hair, her jet black suit wisped against her hooves like wind-touched curtains, she was a beautiful women ,thin and clean, maybe that was the point Button though, honeypot him or something, play on his more primitive erges. She placed a dark carry-case infront of button, pulling up a seat and opening the case, rifling through documents in dead silence, making button sqeam.
She read through two sheets of paper before even acknowledging Button’s existence, her thin black-rimmed glasses sat firmly on her nose, magnifying her emerald eyes like jade discs.

“Mr Mash" she begun, flicking her mane from her eyes, " My name is Detective Noble, I’m here to talk to you about any details you may have in the Mckowsky/Canterlot juicers case, as you can tell we’ve been looking for you for a few days now” as she spoke you could clearly tell how cold of a pony she was, her words came from years of interrogations, she didn’t know who Button was but she would tear up every little insignificant detail she could to find evidence, Button felt uncomfortable, like a rabbit locked in a cage with a wolf.

“Mr Mash, answer me one question, where were you in the two days you filed missing” she asked, sliding into her chair, milky pink hair washed over the shoulders of her suit, straight and clean, her eye’s scanning the young boy’s face for any tells and tweaks, a hawk this woman was.
Button’s head raced as he struggled to answer her question, he stumbled over each brain-wave picking not one neuron of information up, he needed to think…or to wear a new head.
change
change
change
Button never could explain how he could do what he does, it just seemed to come to him, a new mask with a new face, he met the Mare’s gaze with his own, his nature tweening into a smooth cat, he believed he could talk his way out of this, button wasn’t here anymore, he was Lenin again.

the new Colt spoke, playing an act.
“I ran off Saturday night” he told her, his face moving in tandem with his words “I felt like I needed a fix ya’know, I started feelin’ sick, real sick, I needed ‘it’, something to fix that feeling, I caught a rid in to canterlot from Ponyville and layed out at Snip’s apartment, he gave me what I needed, we sat around drinking rainbow juice from his boss, I didn’t mean to do it…it just didn’t seem wrong at the time” Button told her, his attitude that of a drug-addict, he preyed he would fall for his trick, if this didn’t work he’d be in serious shit, he needed her to believe him.
The Mare scrutinized Button’s words, picking at them like scabs, tearing up the dead skin that was his alibi.
“So I take it you and Mr Mckowsky spent the entire day together leading up to the crime?” she asked, pushing her glasses right up to her eyelashes.

“yeah” Button carefully replied, trying to sound trashy.

“Then did he mention anything to you right before he left?” Noble again questioned.

“we got down to our last vile just before he walked out, I wanted it because It was part of my share, he wanted it because it was the last one left, we argued and fought over it…then we really stared fighting, I got maybe two good swings in before he threw me to the ground and stomped my head into the floorboards, I black out right after that, All I know is he took the coach and left me in his place, I slept there and hitch-hiked my way back to ponyville yesterday night, I slept on a bus bench and decided to go to school today…and now were here” Button finished, rubbing his throbbing head, Button’s last stand was here, he laid out his bait, he needed her to bite.

Detective Noble rubbed her chin, running up the evidence she had to what he was saying, she began piecing together her final sentence, she was clever and sharp, a knife of a woman she was, but everyone can be dooped, Magicians need an audience.

“Answer me this Button Mash, do you have any information on Snips Mckowsky’s double homicide?” she asked the Colt, unflinching, her tone plain and simple.

Button twisted his head sideways, trying to play along.

“when we chatted about his work he would keep saying how he was prisoner to the zebra, that Gageh guy, said that he was trapped, he asked to leave but they threatened him, kept saying he needed his freedom, needed to cut ties, wanted to go straight, I don’t believe him though, no one gets out of the game” Button finished, his character more believable than ever, a method actor Button indeed was.

“So you think Snips felt caged by the zebra as you put it, do you think snips wanted to put a stop to his problems?” she again asked Button, The Colt couldn’t be sure if it was working, her face gave no tell.

“Probably, pump enough juice in your system and you could do anything, all I know is he wanted out, I guess he got out if ya think about it”.
“Mr Mash, your friend is responsible for two charges of premeditated murders as well as a break-in and destruction of property, if you think he got away with it than you are quite wrong” she replied, the slightest slip in her tone, Button had broken through.
“We’ll it’s not like those people had meaning full lives or anything” Button prodded again, slowly seeing miniscule ticks in her face, he played on her emotions…until he slipped up.

“What did that zebra have, nothing but a dead son” announced Button, slipping through a crack in his wall, the moment he the words left his mouth he knew we was caught.

“…How do you know about Guy’s son?” she asked him, her face resetting to stiff and sharp, she had found a flaw, a glitch in Button’s persona, his alibi, she had her chance, a shark about to strike, mouth gaping and eyes rolled back.

Button screamed inside his head, the walls of his plan crumbling, his mask falling off and shattering like percaline.
Think think think.

Button needed the mask, he needed for someone else to think for him, the detective was about to pull his alibi out like loose stitching in a heart bloody and clotted.

“Snips told me when, said when he got employed that the guy’s office had a shrine in it, dedicated to his kid” Button replied, keeping as much outer composure as possible.

Detective Noble looked at button, not at his face but at his eyes, reading them like a book, hoping for a slip, one single moment to jump at, thankfully button had saved his ass.

“Is there uh…anything else you needed from me?” Button announced confusingly, watching as she tied back her mane and placed her papers back in her case, her face sharp but beautiful all the same.

“Mr Mash, I’ll be in touch with you, I doubt we’ll be charging you up for narcotics possession or intoxication but I would consider going to a rehab clinic if I were you, Your mother is out in the waiting room, she’s already been notified that you’re here, have a lovely day Mr Button Mash” she concluded opening the large manila door and gesturing Button to follow out.

“Uh…Thank you Ms Noble” he replied, getting up and following out the door, she smelt of expensive perfume.

“that’s Detective Noble” she retorted, leading him towards the front of the police station, her black suit ruffling in cross blow of a near-by fan, the hot humid air inside the building made buttons head hurt.

Button walked past the rows of computers, offices and Ponies suited up in light metal armour, this establishment was someplace he did not want to be, not after the things he’s done. Eventually they parted two large oak doors and into a milky waiting room, boxed seats with sad faces sat everywhere, in a close-by one sat Karin Mash, her face looking tired and older than normal, her eyes immediately darted to Button, jumping up and running towards her son, wrapping her arms around his head.

“Please fill out this form over there then sign out, we have your number and address if we need to contact you” Noble told them, passing Button a sheet of paper with small text everywhere, her face was still plain and frozen, her emerald eye’s shimming like jade.

Detective Noble Walked back beyond the oak doors, defeated.

Clever Odysseus had blinded the Cyclops.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Does his story check out?” Noble asked, standing at the edge of a cubicle with four other officers, their sleeves rolled up and a coffee in each of their hooves.

“Compared with the mother’s, hey, it all seems to fit together, I don’t think the kid had anything to do with the murders” replied one of the Colts, his black mane twisted and scattered by the heat.

“Anything strange?” She retorted, taking of her jacket and pouring a cup of water from a water cooler near-by.

“yeah, you know how he mentioned he took juice, well look at this” the Colt pointed out, passing a test result from the narcotics lab. Noble’s face scrunched up as she saw the results, “Technically he shouldn’t even be alive, no living Pony has every tested that high with the zebra juice, he must have swallowed a bucket of the stuff” the Officer finished taking a sip of his joe.

“Should we send him to the ER or something” she replied, half joking.

“nothing they can do, I’m surprised he’s body can even function with all those toxins in its system, the come-down from it’s going to cause serious health risks, physical and psychological, basically he’s a walking sponge soaked full of narcotics”.

“jeez, oh Riccardo, the kid said he stayed at Mckowsky’s apartment, do we have a location, anything you could find?” Detective Noble asked, directed towards an aqua colt with tied-back wheat gold hair.

“Sorry June, but that place is gone, apparently the morning last night the place was burned down by an orange Colt, an Ex-employee of Guy Gwangee, he snuck in and torched the place, probably out of anger, were searching for him aswell, but yeah, no leads there”.
The Mare pressed her hoof up between her glasses, letting out an annoyed sigh, finishing her water.
“OK, what leads do we have?” she asked the group, running her pink hair away from her eyes.
The officers all seemed to give a shrug.
“Are you telling me that a double homicide occurs, over fourteen witnesses, he know the perp, he left the evidence…and your saying we don’t have a single lead, not one little tiny lead?” June Noble told them, gesturing to the four of them, the stress straining against her Emerald eye’s.
“Im going to be honest with you June” Riccardo began, wiping the sweat from his brow, “with Guy dead half of the Canterlot drug gangs are going to try and take his throne, it’s going to be all-out warfare, just like the Los Pegasus riots ten years back, most of our force are prepping for it, forget the fuse June, we need to focus on softening the blast as much as possible” the cop finished, putting down his mug, his face stretched like wet clothing.

Detective Noble, gave a final exhale before chucking her plastic cup in the bin and walking back to her office, a defining sound of ringing phones and yapping mouths in her wake, she needed a drink.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button fell hard onto the living room couch, smacking against the black leather like an old dog, his ochre hair scatting out, his ear stud making a faint ‘ting’ against the apolsty. Button was home, back in his house which he spent every day of his life in, a bastion against everything else in the world. He twisted himself deep into the folds, pushing himself further and further into the warm crevasse, his weary body truly ready to rest.

His Mother followed second, crumbling down into the rug-mat, burying her face into the woolly fabric, exhausted and tired. Both the two Mash’s looked like corpses, unmoving, dead to the world.

Karen muffled her words through the soft carpet, her groaning voice seemed to say, “Want me too cook up some dinner?”.

“Sleep” Button replied through the couch, his head barely visible and his body just poking out from the leather cushions.

“Should I at least close the front door” she again groaned.

“Sleep” Button repeated in a louder tone.

They both lay there in the lounge room, contempt to just sleep through the night, one on the floor, the other deep inside the folds of a couch, two of the same blood.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The rainy-night sky sweep across South Canterlot, filling up old tin cans and pot holes with little tears, the neon drenched streets cooed out hypnotic splashes of synthesize guitars, coaches drove by, there hazard lights staining the wet road in waves of red light, the pathways roared with the hustle and bustle of drunken ponies stumbling home in a stupor, gorgeous women stand on street corners, the lights in their eyes snubbed out by a cold life, along the pink-lit path stands a row red-brick apartment buildings, the same everywhere else, people canned up in their homes, hoping to sleep undisturbed, hearing the sirens and gunfire outside slip into their ears as they dream.

An Old Colt sits in his home, crammed in the cushions of a leather-back recliner, his TV radiating an old black and white show from ages past. HE drank his bourbon with ancient lips, his mane now grey and fizzled by time, his gold coat now faded and stained.

*Knock* went the locked door, making the old Colt jump, he slumped up and heave his slightly overweight gut towards the door, hearing the tinge of rain against the glass windows.

“Hold On hold on” he told the visitor, looking through the pep hole centred in the middle of the wood.

The Colt immediately opened the door and let the cold stranger in, putting a comforting arm on his shoulder and walking him towards a kitchen stool.

“Sweet Celestia, what’s happened to ya boy?” the Old Colt asked, staring at spatter blood that covered the stranger, his wounds bleeding through make-shift bandages.

“He’s gone Saul, Rocko got hit….last night, slit our throats” Babbled Rudey, holding his neck, still feeling the sting of the scissors, he smelt like sweat and smoke, bleeding faint drops onto the floral patterned plastic below.

“Rud...come in, you look like you need help” Mr Whipinglash said somberly, running a hoof through his grayed mane, “I'll patch you up kid", his voice deep with grief.

Rudey caught his breathe as he began to talk more clearer, “That little shit snuck in the club last night, Snips, he started talking trash to me and Rocko then…Goddess, the fucker pulled a pair clippers on us” the ginger coldly explained, still holding his neck-wound, “I went down first, the pain was so intense, he was so feckin' fast.... then Rocko got jammed in the throat,I mean I tried to help him but he was already…dead, I tried so hard”.

The Old Colt bit his lip and turned away, putting his sorrow in his hooves, the tears started to swell In his eyes like sea foam.

“I’m sorry Saul, I tried... but I” rudey started to tear up too, his voice becoming croaky, “I couldn’t save him...I could barely even breath”.

“Rocko…My boy” Mr Whipinglash exhaled sadly, putting both his tired arms up over the back of his head, tranparent strands of salt tears ran down the old man's leathery bristled face.

“I tried to find that Mckowsky kid, found his place and ransacked it looking for him, the little shit wasn’t there so I molotoved the shithole, he’s got nowhere to hide, fucker’s on the run” .

“Rudey… the News already told me” the old man spoke sadly, already aware of his son’s death, he walked into his cramp kitchen space and opened one of the cupboards, taking out a red plastic box with a white cross on the side, he returned and pulled out an assortment of medical equipment.

“I’m sorry about Rocko Saul, I promise that.... Guy won’t stand for this, we’ll get the crews together and hunt him down” Rudey said, carefully unwrapping his washcloth neck bandage; cold and soaked with blood.

Saul WhipingLash paused for a second, unsure of how to tell Rudey about Guy.

“Guy’s gone , that kid shot him out his office window, I thought you already knew, double murder”.

The Ginger colt’s face washed over with confusion…a blank CD, then soon it erupted in a twist stagnate anger, his face contorted in rage but not one thing to do about it, he just sat there, silently brooding as the Old man sew up his neck and bandaged it up with school-supplied wraps.

“Saul we need to” he stopped biting his bottom lip, “we need to find that shit, put a bullet in his head, he deserves to die” Rudey announced, digging for the right words to convince the old criminal.

“I’m out of the game Rude, I’ve been out for ten years now” Saul replied, cleaning up the colt’s bite wound and tying up the stitching.

“But this was your business, you started the drug racket here in Canterlot, every juicer, powder jockey and pot-peddler knows you’re the godfather of this town, just make a call, put a hit on him, they’ll wipe him out like a turd on the footpath”.

“I’m out I said, no more blood” he stated, his breath stained with tobacco, his eyes stained with weariness.

“But this kid killed Rocko!”.

“ENOUGH” Saul shouted, slamming his hoof down on the wooden table, his bushy eye-brows bending inwards into a menacing frown.
“You think I don’t know that, can you imagine the hell I went through today, calling up Basil, Sunny and Nora, telling them that there little brother was stabbed to death in some boozy nightclub by a tweaked out teenager, shit I never wanted my kids to get into that business…my business, the business I started, we’ll It’s over, Im done with all this eye for an eye crap, all the blood for blood, gods what ever happened to no honour amongst thieves, shut up and go home Rudey, learn to do something that doesn’t involve beating folks to death, take a page from life and go bother to do something real with it.....shit” The old KingPin roared, his tired voice croaking as he mentioned his son.

The Ginger Colt said nothing, he felt too ashamed, Saul Whipinglash Once sat king of the Canterlot criminal empire, A mighty golden Lion, he’d slaughter his way through men just to earn some respect from their employers, for years he struck fear into the scum of the earth,cutting a billion bit empire through the country, running entire cartels throughout Filydelphia, Canterlot and the Zebra lands, the Royal guard never could even find his face, he was too good, now he was in the later years of his life, a new living as a school disciplinarian and economics teacher, the tired lion gave his kingdom to the hyenas.

The old Colt finished cleaning up the wounded soul, washing the blood from his hoofs and placing the medical box back in the cupboard, his body in the dull kitchen light showing the ghostly remains of bullet wounds and stabbings, Saul's frame now old and leathery from years upon years of violence.

“Saul, do you know anywhere I could stay, the Guard’s gunna be looking for me, I need to skip dodge pronto” Rudey asked, shaking the rain-beads from his mane.

Saul opened his fridge and threw the other Colt a hunk of lettuce, lighting himself a fat cigar and puffing at it like the old bear he was.
“Sorry kid I can’t take on any heat…but I think I know a guy who could take you on for a month or two, he owns a caravan park just west of town” Mr Whipinglash replied, searching together a plastic bag full of supplies; water, pocket knife, lighter.

“Any details on him” Rudey asked, accepting the bag, knowing he that he needed to leave.

“Used to do abit of courier work for the powder-jockeys back when he was a travelling world-wide big shot, he still owes me for a few big Gs, I’ll send you to him, he should have some space available” Saul explained, putting his arm under the sink and retrieving a pistol tapped to the side, he dusting it off and handing it to the ex-lackey, aswell as a hoof-full of cash that was lying atop the fridge.

As Rudey opened the door, peering around to see for suspicious faces he asked one last question of the retired drug lord ,“What’s his name?” he said, a smoke alit in his mouth.

“Kickin Mash, mid fourties, same accent as you” Saul replied scooping up his glass of bourbon and sliding back into the leather folds of his recliner, the city melting away into neon rays, fizzling upwards into the cloud-drenched night.

Season 2 Part 5: Catherine. *Fan Favorite*

Season 2 Part 5: Catherine. *Fan Favorite*

Button Mash awoke early in the morning, the sky still an ephemeral pitch black with the faintest ghostly paint wipe of blue streaks from the approaching dawn. The Colt groggily stumbled upstairs towards the shower, tripping through the bath-room as he didn’t bother to switch on the light. learching himself into the small tiled box he turned the red chrome handle, cold clear water spat over his body in the pitch of dark, slowly warming faster and faster, sending steam throughout the empty bathroom and a warm updraft up his nose, the room bathing moist in the faint navy blue rays of the dawn that ghosted through the foggy window and silhouetted tree leaf shapes on his floor. The night lazily started to go away like an old seagull diving deep into the depths of the ocean, letting death take it freely, deeper and deeper in the blackness.

The hot water ran warm down the back of his neck and caused Button to give a little exhale as he slid himself down towards the brown tiles, sitting himself against the shower-wall and drain, warm soothing water running down his mane and neck, giving him his respite for the morning, he felt his face with a wet hoof, the bruises were starting to disappear, he could feel it, fade away like nothing ever happened, he gave another exhale, closing his eyes as he let the hot rain burn away his weariness.

*ERRR!*

Suddenly he felt a ripple in his stomach again, like someone squeezing hard on this organs with a vice, sending his guts in twists and writhes, a huge ball of pain shooting up his throat.. Button shot forward, his body taking position by instinct, he felt his stomach throw back whatever went in, He vomited again, all over the shower drain in an acidic broth, the last remnants of anything he had eaten washing down the dark hole, he fell to his side, clutching at his ribs, arms wrapped around arms as he bit hard on his bottom lip.

Button could taste blood in his mouth, wether from his lip or his stomach he couldn’t tell.

He again lay there on the grouted ground for the second time, the same as morning of the second day, head to the tiles, heart in his hooves, this time his mind not falling on sweetie but on something else, a thought, a thought he’d keep with himself, he teared up, soulful droplets disappearing in a sea of hot water.

Twisting the chrome handles he turned off the shower, hearing it wain with an *grrrrrg* then settling into a steam silence, no satisfaction from this shower, no euphoric feeling like at Berry’ house, just heater water, that’s all he felt.

He hobbled to his bedroom, walking down the bright yellow-licked hallway smelling of wet fur, Button opened his door, a barrage of strange familiar scents hitting his nose and loosening all his muscles, musk of sweat and crusty socks filled the dank bedroom.

Stumbling to his desk he pulled from his draw a few little white pills which he shovelled down his throat, downing them with an old filthy bottle of mountain dew, he fell backwards onto his bed, drenching patches of water staining his blanket cover, he lay quietly, scared to make any more movements, he felt like his insides were a ticking time bomb, ready to burst out with an explosion of blood or alien spiders, he could feel the sting, like his body was hungry…un-aware of how to feed it, a hungry dog scratching at the lining of his innards.

“please please please” he moaned to himself like a winded child, taking a foetal position on the bed and holding in his guts, feeling burning twangs buzzing in his body like wasps, eventually it passed, causing him to slowly release himself and flatten his body onto the covers, sinking into the mattress, he was sinking, always sinking, he couldn’t swim, only drown.

“Breakfast” he heard his mother say from downstairs, a tone not as screechy as it used to be and more of a sleepy yawn.

Button slung up from his bed slowly and dried off his mane; going to his table and inserting his silver ear stud as well as his chessboard-pattern wristband.

Slowly descending the stairs he entered the kitchen, he saw his mother, the bags of her eyes now starting to dither from what they were from yesterday, she still looked old though, for the first time really, she could feel it too, she didn’t look the pristine late twenties she used too, she now looked her age. Time was beginning to catch up with the Mashes, button could feel it too, in a matter of a few short days he had to come to terms with a lot of things. Some he was happy about like finding Scarlet but others he did not want to dwell on, for obvious reasons, the important thing was that he felt he now had control, as little as it was.

“what’s for breakfast” he asked politely, putting his head upside down to the sink and turning on the tap, washing the crud from his mouth like dirty coffee mug.

“Just Grass” she said, putting two yellow bowls of emerald green grass on the table for Button and herself, taking a glance of the window to the foggy dawn, the moon still drifting at the fringe of the mountains.

Button’s face dropped slightly at the choice of food, he asked her if there was anything else in the fridge, carrots or maybe some lettuce, she replied with a gentle shake of her head, she was exhausted, strands of her chocolate brown hair hung past her face like bits of fishing line.
Button crushed the tough grass in his mouth, it felt like it was cutting the sides of his mouth; it had no flavour except the faint taste of dirt.
Button’s mother stared longingly into her food, a melancholy smile wading onto her lips.

“You know” Karen began to talk, her face dwelling in the depths of nostalgia, “Years ago back before you and your brother, when me and your father were first starting to live together, we rented a small apartment in phillydephia, tiny thing, one room, one bathroom, anyway at that time we had just moved in, we spent most of our money on the lease and furniture so for the first five months we couldn’t afford to eat anything other than...”.
“Grass” Button replied, feeling somewhat sad by his mother’s reminiscing.

She gave a gentle nod in agreement. The two of them started to eat there breakfast in silence, only being broken by the low hum of the fridge.
“Mom” Button asked.

“yes hun” she replied.

“how did you meet dad?, I know Ive heard it before but…you know”.

Karen understood what button meant.

She pushed the brown hair away from her eyes and began to retell the story of how she met Button and Pitt’s father, the hospital, the broken knee, even there fling in high school years back, button didn’t feel squeamish about it anymore, he understood what she was talking about, how they would make love for hours in a shaggy tent then lie beside a warm campfire, staring at the starry night, she loved Kickin, he loved her, When it came down to it, time tore them apart.

Button didn’t remember much about his father being that he was so young but he did remember a few things, he was a very social guy, very cheery and optimistic, he lived life with a child’s heart but as time went on and life became what it was he slowly became more dull, the fire started to go out of his eyes and the greys began forming in his mane, he would try to fight it, going out on fanciful expeditions and road trips with mates, going as far as dying his hair and sneaking off to parties till late in the night, mom just had to sit and watch him struggle, what could she do, she had two kids to raise and more and more it seemed she was doing it by herself, she couldn’t fight time, she didn’t have it. Button remembered when his father took him to work, the day he got his new fitness coach, Terra, the tall grey mare with the long blue mane, the one that broke us apart.

She was very nice to dad, her ruby jewelled eyes looked to him with polite admiration, dad didn’t seem to mind, his last coach was a forty something saddle-Arabian with a lisp.

As the days went on dad seemed to be happier and happier to go to work, talking about how Terra wanted to be a folk musician and how she had increased his leg speed by 0.30 whatever. The last time Button saw Terra was when he was getting driven to pre-school by his dad, they dropped into the gym to pick up some bags of protein powder and were greeted by her, she looked very attractive in her skin tight workout clothes and tied back mane, her face was flustered with heat from a four hour workout, dad looked at her with a gaze that button wouldn’t understand till years later, she kissed him on the cheek as he left and whispered something into his ear that made him silent the whole way to school, his eyes kept darting around the coach as he contemplated what he was going to do, who he was going to do.

After that Gym visit Dad slept with Terra every day for the next three weeks till he slipped up with the hotel receipt, when he left home no-one heard much from him, Karen only contacted him for custody and legal issues, he just seemed to give up after that, his fire was snubbed out.

He left Town with nothing but his name and two suitcases, Terra catching him up months later.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

*PSHHHHHH!* went the faucet, clear spurts of water dowsing the white ceramic sink, washing down loose hairs and tooth-paste spit.
Button fiddled with his hair, unsure of wether to sleek it back or leave it as it was, he had brushed his teeth and cut off any overgrown hairs that hung from his face.

He looked at the little pink kitty-clock that sat by the bathroom sink, 5:49PM, he had about 20 minutes before Appleblooms get-together started, today for him went far better than yesterday did, his face had become far less noticeable and the pains in his stomach didn’t disturb him much throughout his classes, he just had to keep popping Panadol’s every twelve minutes, his friends still talking about TV shows, still talking about video games. In the afternoon he had rode the bus home with Scarlet again, they spent most of it talking about Sonic the hedgehog, comparing the TV show to the new game, Button didn’t (thankfully) speak to sweetie today, there were some close calls but nothing a stealthy dose of blending in the crowds couldn’t fix, the day fared him well, things were all put in there correct place like a shelf of game cases.

Button kept playing around with his fringe in the mirror, unsure of how to position it, either way it would slink back into the front of his face, he looked at the mirror, in the background stood the zebra, benign as ever, he wasn’t going to leave, Button felt unsettled with him, his Cheshire smile still as delish as ever, his body contorted at the back wall, Button believed his brain would eventually just fade him out like white noise.

“5:50!” shouted his mother from her bedroom, the sound of her TV playing Law and order SVU emitting from her doorway.

“I know, thanks” Button shouted back, doing a final scan of his face then exiting the bathroom and the same as the morning, descending the staircase and heading towards the door, his watch dangling on his arm.

“Button” shot Karen from the top of the stairs, her hair in curlers.

“Yeah” he answered, turning around as he had his hoof on the gold doorknob ready to leave.

“Here, I take it Scarlet’ll be at this little get together” she queried, throwing a small pack of medium condoms to him.

Button’s face as he realised what it was went a bright red, he pleaded that he didn’t need them or that it wasn’t like that but his Mother simply shrugged of every one of his words and returned to her crime drama, strutting back to her room.

Button stared at the wallet sized pack of 8, unsure of what to do with it, he decided to keep it in his mane in case he ended up drunkenly stumbling to Scar’s house late at night, he was hoping not to drink much tonight.

Turning the handle he left his house and jogged his way to Applebloom’s house, passing cherub houses and stores as he made his way to the sweet-apple acres farm, the cool breese of twilight at his heels.

As he approached the front dirt road that lead to the house he saw that the apple trees had already zapped, there bulbous red shape now a garish twist of rainbow hues that protruded from the green leaves like colourful cupcakes, button could swear he saw them glow in the pink and orange sunset, a holy oara emanating from the tacky fruits, just one he thought, trotting up to the nearest tree and stretching up, plucking a juicy low hanging zap-apple.

He brought the magical fruit up to his lips and gave them a moist smack before he sunk his battered teeth into the apple’s flesh, tearing of a large hunk and swallowing it with lustful eyes.

The fruit’s golden juice ran down his throat like watery syrup, coating his tastebuds in a familiar but alien taste that felt practically orgasmic, as the apple chunks hit his stomach he felt his a surge of heat run through his body, but this didn’t hurt like it normally did, it went to the same spot as the pain but this seemed to soothed what hurt, it numbed and dissolved the sting in his stomach, bubbling away his writhing organs, he fell onto the emerald grass, crumbling into the roots of the tree, flattening into the dirt.

He lay there by that tree in ecstasy for 3 minutes before he drunkenly lifted himself up, an electric spark running up his body and lifting his mane like helium.

“aeeehh” was all he could moan as he pressed himself into the thick hardwood trunk, wet sticky zapple juice stained on the side of his mouth, the pain that tore at his gut was gone, replaced with a warm buzzing feeling. Using all his strength he pushed his body of the tree and back onto four legs, stumbling slightly as he gained his balance. Button could only describe what he felt as down-right magical, he felt like a cured Colt.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

*Tap*, *Tap*, *Tap*.

Applebloom opened the door to button, a welcoming smile on his face as the two old friends hugged in greeting, the sound of bad pop music coming from inside.

“Glad ta see ya made it bro” Applebloom joshed, ushering him in.

“did ya bring any liquor?” she re-affirmed.

Button lifted his arm and handed her a 6-pack of rum’n’cola.

“picked it up from the bottle-o” he replied, letting her place it in a half-full ice cooler at the foot of the couch, Button greeted the rest of his friends.

So far only Rumble and Scootaloo had turned up; they both sat on the couch munching on two bowls of extra cheesy Doritos, a pile of DVD’s by their side.

“Where’s granny Smith?” Button asked, slumping himself onto a comfy lounge chair adjacent from the snack table.

“aye told her I was havin’ some friends over t’night so she’s gone to Canterlot to go play the slots” Applebloom replied, tying her mane back in the hallway mirror before undoing it then tying it again, she seemed to be unsure of how to keep it, she had dolled herself up very nicely for tonight, wearing small amount of make-up to show off her soft cheekbones and large eyes, her red mane had looked like it had been washed three times over while she smelt faintly of vanilla perfume.

“Where’s Mac?” Button again asked, trying to stir up some small talk as they waited for the sun to set and the drinking to begin.
Applebloom, strolled past the couch and ruffled her hoof through Scootaloo’s purple hair, annoying her as she and rumble began to make out, “ah, he’s off at the bar, chatting up some drunks Mare or Colt of sorts”.

“quit it!” Scoot said, slapping away applebloom’s hoof.

*Tap* *Tap* went the front door again, sending the yellow mare into a frenzy of checking how she looked, propping her hair back and taking a deep breath, she opened the door.

“She did that for you too, and us as we got here” Rumbled joked in a whisper, casing a crack smile to slide onto Button’s face.

Appebloom walked back to them with Sweetie Belle at toe, her pearl white coat shimmering under the 70 Walt light.

The group all gave a collective “Sup” to her.

She returned with “Sup” then preformed a tiny cannon ball into the red bean bag on the other side of the food tray, reaching in and grabbing a small handful of doritos.

“Whatcha watchin’” Sweetie asked, leaning back as they all stared at the large flat-screen television.

“News at the moment, I’m guessing were waiting for everyone to show up before we start watching the movies” Button replied, acting casual and lazy.

Applebloom still stood at the back of the couch, between the door and the kitchen, waiting for another tap on the door.

“So Button” asked Scootaloo, hoping off Rumble’s lap, “where were you hiding at all this time?” she asked inquisitively, causing button to dig into the soft lounge.

“Uh…I was squatting at Snip’s place in Canterlot for a few days, getting high and all that” Button lied, trying to sound natural.
Sweetie eyed him out right away.

“I didn’t know you did drugs” the white mare queried, throwing a few corn chips in her mouth.

“I tried some a few days ago, pretty good haha…ya know I don’t think I would have been able to talk to Backslash and his posse without em” Button replied in a quasi-joking tone, fingering the folds on the upholstery, his teeth starting to grit as he wanted her to shut up.

“So now you think your hell cool now, Mary Jane Mash” sweetie spat back, trying to come off as joking but sounding more aggro.

“Yeah you should try some, might loosen you up a bit….cheech” Button snarked back in the same tone, causing Rumble to change the subject before either party could reply.

“So Sweetie, I don’t think I got to tell you how great your performance at the club was last Friday” the Colt asked with a fake chipper voice.

“I guess, people say it was pretty good” Sweetie belle replied, her face growing placid as she had already heard a million people already tell her.

Button sneered under his lips.

*TAP* went the apple family door, Applebloom’s face lighting up like a nova star as pounced towards the wooden frame, patting her hair and checking that she smelt nice.

*Errrk* went the door as Applebloom greeted her guest with a hefty hug and a kiss on the cheek, she stepped in an introduced the last guest to arrive.

“Guys, you all know Diamond Tiara” AppleBloom said formally, eyeing each one of her friends down like a hawk as the pink thin mare gave a little unsure wave the group.

“hi….guys” she stammered, feeling surrounded and awkward, her purple and white mane flopping slightly over her right eye.
The group already new Tiara…..they had the memories, the insults, the bitchyness.

Rumble got up and approached the mare in silence, looking tough and stone-faced as he did so, he stood in front of her, eyeing her out, she looked to Applebloom who looked as confused as she was. Rumble lifted up his hoof and held it still right in front of Diamond Tiara, she looked puzzled, but she quickly understood what he wanted. Lifting her hoof she pounded his arm in an almighty ‘Bro-hoof’ which told her everything was going to be fine.

“I don’t believe we’ve met” Rumble said somewhat formally, “I’m Rumble Pak, Scootaloo’s partner, I think you already know Sweetie Belle and Scoot” he finished. Diamond tiara and the two other cutie mark crusaders looked away from each-other awkwardly, the memories of their youth still reminding them of who this mare used to be.

Applebloom quickly jumped in, “soo what movie do we want to start off with, Button, what ave’ we got in tha’ pile?”.
The mocha colt picked up the stack and began naming each one of them.

“Mean Mares, Zoolander, Godfather, Titanic, Inception, Birdman, Apocalypse now, Nightmare on Elm street, Secret of Nym and the Iron Giant” Button read out looking to them for a consensus.

Every girl in that room and probably in a 5 mile radius demanded ‘Mean Mares’ while Button and Rumble bickered between Iron giant and Birdman, the group (by which they mean 4/6) decided that they’d chuck on the chick flick.

Rumble quickly pole-vaulted himself over the couch and back onto the seat, grabbing himself a few Doritos for munching and wrapping an arm around Scootaloo while Applebloom and Diamond tiara sat next to them, tiara resting her head on the yellow mare’s shoulder as button slid in the DVD.

As the introduction rolled Button slid back into his green leather chair and asked Sweetie to toss him a beer from the cooler, she grabbed around 8 cans for everyone and gave one to each, Tiara grabbed her nose as the bubbles fizzled up her face, Applebloom found it cute she then down two-thirds of her rum and cola, the party begun.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As the minutes and inebriation slowly progressed, the group became for and more lively, quoting parts of the film and starting to make idle chit chat, Button began telling cheesey 4chan jokes while Scoot started telling them about her new sponsorship deal that’ll send her into the pro circuit next year, eventually Tiara began joining in on the conversation, talking about her trip to the eastern lands and all the different types of dragons that she saw there, Applebloom and rumble started arguing about how much weight you can put on top of an egg before it cracks while Sweetie did a terrible impersonation of Discord.

The friends were all having a good time, it made Button feel good to have positive company for once, though he did wish Scarlet was here, as the night progressed things became more and more….heated.

As the credits began to roll for Inception, Rumble and Scoot began slobbering over each other’s faces, they started to forget where they were, everyone began to look away awkwardly till Diamond tiara gave appleBloom a pinch on the butt, things started to get frisky as they too started to kiss and cuddle, Button sluggishly put in Zoolander.

Movie time became little more than a blinking screen as only Button and sweetie were the only one’s watching the film, the two couples were kissing passionately and whispering sweet nothings into each-others ear. Sweetie shot Button a look that said ‘Are they serious’ and he replied mutely with a nod.

The time hit 2:12 AM and the room was seldom tired, in fact things couldn’t get any more lively, Applebloom and Tiara were lying on each other on the floor while Rumble and Scoot both took over the couch, both couples unsubtly shrouded themselves with a blanket that left little to the imagination to understand what they were doing. Soon Applebloom couldn’t take much more teasing, she got up and lifted DT off the floor.

“Guyss” she said drunkenly “Were gunna go get some sleep, hope ya’ll had a great *hiccup* night, see ya In the morning. With that the two mares walked off, there body flustered red and there hormones about to clash together in hot love for the rest of the night.

It was only three minutes before Scoot and Rumble started to do the same, in the faint light button could see the orange mare rubbing the colt’s member under the blanket, their bodies wrapped together in a sweaty mess on the couch. Button soon got up and headed towards the kitchen, telling sweetie who was awkwardly position on the beanbag that he was just grabbing a glass of water, she followed fast behind him.
The two began chatting in the kitchen under the dull light of the microwave.

“Jeez, things are getting intense out there” Button quipped, leaning himself against the fridge, the smell of light beer in his breath, the hum of the large appliance breaking the silence.

“No doubt, are they actually…you know” Sweetie asked, hoping up and sitting on the kitchen-counter.

Button nodded, both eyebrows raised.

“oh ok then…..” ,Sweetie belle filled herself a glass of lemonade and tried to make small talk with the last person who had a mouth not attached to someone else’s.

“So, how’s life” she exhaled gingerly, taking a faint sip of her pick-me-up drink.

“Ah you know” Button shrugged casually, his bones vibrating against the fridge.

“So have you got any stuff with you?” Sweetie asked.

“What stuff” the colt asked, a lone eyebrow now raised to the girl.

Sweetie moved her head forward and began to whisper.

“you know, drugs”.

“ha…uh sadly no, I think I’m burnt out right now, it’ll be a while before I touch the stuff again” Button commented, feeling somewhat humoured by her request, soon a silence began between the two as neither really knew what to talk about.

“Sorry about the Mary Jane thing, I know it got to you” Sweetie belle confessed, putting two hooves over her drink, making her look somewhat confiding to Button, he decided to be nice to her at least for now.

“It’s ok…Sorry about….you know, the whole fight at school, it was…childish of me to do that” Button stuttered, putting his arm up and rubbing the back of his neck, the Mare looking back somewhat bewildered by button’s rare glimpse of genuineness.
“Don’t worry about it, Sorry for riling you up with the backslash thing…I did it on purpose just to piss you off, I’m sorry” the lavender mane girl replied, her top teeth rubbing against her lower lip. The two of them again had a stilted moment of silence, button could feel a lead weight grow in his stomach, Sweetie felt it too.

“Button” Sweetie croaked, her face barely visible in the gloomy yellow light of the microwave, “Can we stop all this fighting, I don’t want to keep just ….shitting on you and you shitting on me, I miss just being able to hang out and talk about geeky crap with you, I guess what I’m trying to say is….can we be friends?” , Sweetie’s face was looking the same as It did the first day of school, asking Button as if they were back there on that dirt road between ponyville and Button’s house, it seemed to be a second chance for Button, a re-roll on his snake eyes, her large purple rimmed eyes glassily looked to him expecting an answer.

The Colt looked back to sweetie, his brain running a system scan on every memory they ever had together, the good and the bad, the pleasurable and the painful, he sighed then lifted his head, his fireplace eyes just as wide as hers, he opened his mouth and spoke, everything seemed to stop.

“Sweetie Belle…..No” Button replied, leaving the mare in a crash state, “I don’t want to be your anything, I don’t like the way you are”.
…

…

…

“The fuck” she slowly replied, her eyes twisted with confusion as she correlated what she had just heard. “what do you mean the way I am” she asked, her tone slowly heightening as her blood rage rised, her eyes had all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming, her eyebrows cocking like shotguns.

“All you ever seem to do is complain about your life, why can’t you wake the fuck up and realise how good you have it” he replied , his tone started to get more angry, his words starting to flow without much though put into them, or maybe all the though in the world. “Wake up…wake up…Button you….stupid fuck, If you had any gods damn idea of what your even saying you drugged up douche, what are talking about?” Sweetie said slowly, putting a hoof between her eyes in a squint.

“All you say to people is how much better things could get if you tried alittle harder, stopped doing this or got rid of that, you’r never satisified are you” Button spat, tapping his hoof against the side of the fridge.

“what the hell do you even mean, I don’t say that!” she replied her rage now revealing itself as she jumped on the counter and took a menacing pose, her face pursing into a toothed sneer.

“Oh really” Button barked in a whisper, trying to make sure no one could hear them. “The singing, you cant just be contempt with being complimented, no,, you need to be criticised, so you can complain to people that there criticising you, you, you need to feel like you need to keep pushing it”. As button told her off he could see her taking a stand that looked as if she was about to punch him in the face, he continued, taking the risk as his face went red with anger, ‘the…weight thing as well, you look” button darted his eye up her “like that and you still think you need to lose weight, you just want to be better than everybody else dont you, just like your dickhole friends, those shit-birds like backslash, it’s fucking annoying, your just a up-her-self Dame who wants everything….and to top it all of your jealous as fuck of me and Scar *WHACK!*.

Button fell on the ground sweetie swung a heavy hoof into his cheek, angered tears swam red in her pink eyes and pain swelled in her right hoof, button’s head smacked on the side of the fridge, sending a searing sting up his scalp as he hit the wooden floor boards, hitting the ground with an *OOF!*.

“I don’t need to take your Shit Button....I don't need to, a little no hope like you wouldn’t understand what hard was, all you do is expect people to feel sorry for you coz you had it ruff, get real, you’re the same as everyone else, wake up and stop feeling like you deserve better from life” Sweetie asserted, standing over the Colt, her nostrils flaring and sneering her pearl teeth.

Button eyes roared open like a battle-cannon at what she said, he slowly got up, a few drops of blood coming from his nose, he wasn’t going to back away, “You think I don’t know what hard is?” he said slowly in a tone dark and otherworldy, wiping the red liquid from the cup of his nostril “If you had any Idea the things I’ve endured this past week you’d crap yourself, never say ‘hard’ to me again woman, you’ve nothing to compare, I don’t ever want to hear you say that sentence to me for the rest of my gods damn existence, you hear me”.

“Fuck off Button” she replied, not backing down to the crooked boy, knowing he would not lash out no matter what threat he gave ,“if life is apparently so hard for you... why don’t you just give up, go do yourself in, end it, put a gun to your head and blow your fucking brains out all over your TV screen” Sweetie spat at him, wanting to hold her tongue as the horrible word escaped her mouth and stabbed deep into buttons skin.

“No, No goddess fucked way, there is no way in heaven,hell or anywhere between that I will ever consider ending my life, I aint ever gunna die, Ill outlive all of you shits” Button jerked back, his eyes turning bloodshot as he started to go lightheaded.

“Then stop treating people like shit Button, just because you’re depressed doesn't mean the rest of the world has to be, try for once to cheer up” the mare barked back, her face just as red and flustered as his, they arguing starting to pull at there strength, wearing them out.

“I do Sweetie” Button said, his voice becoming croaking as the mare hit a major spot in his defense, “I try every damn day to feel happy and act nice, wearing all these faces I don’t want too just to please all of you, I just want to be me, I just want to be happy for once”, Button started to tear up, putting an arm up and wiping his eyes.

“Then do it, go be happy somewhere” Sweetie belle coaxed, trying to not falter with sympathy for him.

“How could I, it’s not like I can just become happy, everything I try just seems to make things worse, I can’t leave my own house without feeling like someone’s going to rush up and kick me in the teeth, How could I ever be happy, my friends barely care about me and all I’ve got is my alcoholic mother and a few shitty consoles, that’s my life, that’s all of it, Button mash: Fucked Up Life, has a ring to it” croaked the boy swinging his face away from her, tightening his eyes as the tear fell down his bruised up face, pooling onto a divot in the floorboards.

“Bu….I…” Sweetie wanted to say more but she couldn’t, she looked at herself, standing over this wretch of a Colt telling him to kill himself, sweetie sunk onto the floor, crawling into a ball of pink and white fur. Button tried to hold back his tears in front of her, giving quick bursts of sobbing as he sat down as well, his mane again in front of his face, hiding his sorrow, he too sunk to the ground, hitching his back up against the fridge.

Silence once more.

..

..

..

“Sweetie…I’m sorry” Button told her, his closed eyes now opened with a bloodshot sincerity, his eyelashes drenched with loose lashes grappling onto his irises.

“For what” Sweetie croaked almost sarcastically, her face hidden under her lavender mane, the girl’s defence barely holding as her voice cracked faintly.

Button swung his elbows against the side of the fridge, beating the words from his vaulted mouth.

“For….it all…I can’t stop… can’t stop fucking over every olive branch you give me…I…Your….Just believe me that…when I say that *sob*…thank you for at least trying to be a good friend to me, atleast your trying to…Just…Thank you...Sweetie ” murmured Button, hiding between crosses arms and stinging eyes.

Sweetie lifted her head, the green circles of her iris coated just as wet as Button’s, she saw for once that there was something genuine in Button mash’s beaten face, his acid tongue had some traces of ancient sweetness left in it.

“thank you…Button…It means a lot” she whimpered, giving a small smile before tearing up and sulking into her hooves, they were both beaten by words, a common understanding fell between them, burning away all that shit that just kept piling up.

“Sweetie…” button asked a humble smile on his face, wiping his eyes once more.

“Yeah” she squeaked, wiping her eyes.

“Wanna go watch the rest of the film?” Button smiled, putting out a hoof in friendship.

“Yeah…Yeah I do” Sweetie Belle replied, slowly grabbing his arm, they both lifted themselves up from the ground.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“And you and me bolted out the backyard, covered in all that honey and feathers, spitting out wads of paper” Button laughed, Sweetie holding her cheer back as she gave a high pitched snort, laughing even more at her own giggle.

Button and Sweetie were both on the charcoal couch in the lounge-room, there heart to heart lead them to common-ground, through the movie they talked, and talked, and soon began to reminisce about when they were kids, back when things were happier. There reminiscing lead to jokes, there jokes lead to laughter, there common ground turning into two ponies giggling about there youth, remembering why they enjoyed each other's company in the first place.

“Oh oh and when Rarity saw us at the door she almost crapped herself from shock, do you remember her face” shot Sweetie belle almost falling off the couch. Button made an over-exaggerated wailing face as he pressed the back of his hoof up against his forehead, his face snickering as he gasped ‘Oh my goodness’ in a posh voice.

The two teenagers giggled and cooed on the couch, Rumble and Scootaloo retiring to one of the bedrooms less than an hour ago. Button Mash and Sweetie Belle finally got back what they had lost for so long, there best friend.

“Button, do you remember the mudpits” Sweetie joked, her cheeks a cheery red from all the laughing as she slumped backwards into the cushion.

“Please don’t remind me, I still think I’ve got left-over mud somewhere in my ears” he replied, stretching his arms out as he became drowsy.
Sweetie gave a yawn in commonality as she flattened herself onto the couch next to him and let out a deep tired exhale. Button closed his eyes and slouched into the seat, pressing his shoulders comfortably into the soft imitation leather, he felt Sweetie put her head down on his shoulder, her tired body beginning to rest on him, he gave alittle smile as he closed his eyes and began to nod off, his night ending perfectly.

..

..

*slk* went a sound from sweetie as button felt her jab him in his side, he quickly opened his eyes and stared down at her with a cross gaze, the Mares eye’s angled in a squinting smile.

“So dats how it’s gunna be then” Button warned her in a ghetto voice, reliving one of their little and longest running games.

“I guess das how it’s gunna be bra” she replied in a similar sassy voice, shanking him again in his ribs as he threw his arms together in ticklish contortion.

“it’s on bra” he spat back, jabbing her in the hips and making a stabbing sound with his mouth, causing her to wriggle up and shank him back.
*slt* skt* *shk* *stt* they both joyfully stabbed each other with pointed hoofs.

Button dug his arm into a soft spot in her neck which caused her to sqee and push forward, head-butting him in the chin.

“Hey above the chest doesn’t count, them tha rules man” she joked, falling onto him, pushing him flat on the couch.

“I tink I bit mah tongue” Button replied joyfully, looking towards her joyful face as she giggled on his chest.
"hahahehmmm" they chuckled half-heartily, trying to break away but finding themselves physically unable to.

…
..
.

They locked eyes.

…

Like two cogs they snapped into gear, the world stopped as they looked at each-other the same way they had so long ago. Their faces were only a few inches away, they could feel each other’s warm breath on their face' Button could smell her lavender perfume.

Both of them moved forward, their minds blank, doing it as if instinct,time becoming busted as they locked lips, life itself stopping for the two kids, they both remained still, the taste of warm saliva and rum’n’cola in their mouths, they froze with lips locked around one and others.

Suddenly as if all years of pent-up passion had built into a bomb they both exploded into a ball of kissing and groping, like wild animals they tore at each-others bodies, tasting the forbidden fruit, Button felt Sweetie wrap her arms so tightly around him, her body pushing down against his, their lips drove hard into one and others, trying to snog with speed that no-one could ever possess. Soon they became entangled in each other, a brown and white ball of fur. More and more they pulled at each-other, rhythmic movements between them. Button with all his strength lifted Sweetie up by her waist and twisted her around, pushing her deep into the couch. Button felt her slide her arm down his chest, caressing his stomach and grabbing a warm but soft hold of his member... he did the same for her, sliding his hoof between her legs and rubbing her with the same speed as she was to him, they both pleasured each other, not one thought to the world around them, both writhing and moaning.

More and more they heated up, there manes now twisted and tangled in open balls of teased hair, their coats becoming moist with sweat and other juices. As Sweetie moaned and brought Button’s lips again to hers the tiny box of 8 fell out of his mane, landing on her chest like a cardboard pandora’s box, they both shot a wild look at each other like two snowy wolves staring at a white rabbit.

“Here” huffed Sweetie, grabbing the box and handing it to Button who opened the top by tearing it open with his teeth, she using her teeth and tore wide the wrapping revealing a little plastic ring.

The mare sat up and applied the peripheral to Button, sliding it on him tightly.

Sweetie belle put both her hooves on his hips as she angled herself into a comfortable position, Button leaned over the white mare and looked down at their two almost interlocking parts, both pressing hotly against each other, making there stomachs twist mildly and settle deep.

She gave him a nod as he pushed himself forward, giving a gasp of ecstasy as he fell down onto her chest, she wrapped her arms around his neck and slid her hooves deep into his chestnut mane as he began moving in rhythmic euphoria, they both became interlocked in love, their bodies again repeating a history from there past.

Button pressed his forehead against Sweetie Belle’s, the feeling between his legs was incredible, pulsating against his own pumps, his pupils became needle pricks, the animal within him taking over with each passionate thrust. Sweetie twisted and turned with each movement, her body preforming beyond her mind, her moans mixing in with Button’s shrill grunts.

Both the two Ponies made love there between the folds of Applebloom’s couch, there passion for each other booming like a great biblical firestorm, burning away there disdain for each-other like old paper in a campfire.

Season 2 Part 6: It's A Secret To Everybody.

*Tick* *Tick* went the faint wispy tings from the wood grandfather clock, its thick oak frame seemly breathing as its golden metal cogs ticked away with a shiny glint of the lamplight. The room was a dim yellow darkness and devoid of noises cept for the tinkered tings of a grandfather clock and mild electrical hum from the tv stand. Alone in a grove between the charcoal leather couch and the leather armchair lay two little Ponies, wrapped in one and other and sealed with the warm embrace of a thick white duck-feather blanket, eyes shut and heads slumbering, seemingly dead to the world.

Button lazily felt life come back to him, his eyelids shuddered as he tried to etch them open in the black and yellow-lit lounge-room, a lot seemed to be blurry, he could feel his lungs filling with stuffed warm air. He could see a window just in front of him indented into the wooden wall, the sky was again a mixed between black, blue and a tinge of ash grey that seemed to be more black than anything. As he started to regain more of his senses he soon realized he was lying on the floor, a feathering white blanket wrapped around him while his rump and shoulder blades dug into the wooden floorboards underneath, he also felt something warm around his chest and arms. It wasn’t till he smelt the faint aroma of lavender did he looked down; a mare wrapped in his arms, her head sleepily pressed against the right of his breast. Button soon began to remember his night, it all flooded to him like gold whiskey pouring from a glass bottle, memories of him and Sweetie making love on the couch above them, as if instinctual he gave a little smile to himself then quickly dropped It as “ALL’ his senses came back to him. He remembered Scarlet.

“No…No..nonono” he thought to himself, squinting his eyes and leaning his head back in regret, sinking his back into the floor. He lay there silent thinking blankly for 5 minutes, unsure of what to do, it felt like he was waiting for life to pass him by and forget his face. Button felt Sweetie give him an unconscious squeeze, he knew she was about to wake up.

Stretching her legs and nuzzling her tattered mane into Buttons chest, her reddened eyes drunkenly widened and a yawn escaped from her mouth.

She did the same as button gazing around the dimmed room, her eyes looked behind him to the table-stand, then to the chairs then to the blanket that covered her, she slowly looked to what she was lying on, she could see the brown fur and increasingly more thumping chest, hearing buttons heart-beat intensify. Her eyes climbed up to his eyes; a locked gaze, her green emerald eyes were still just as beautiful as ever, button knew her eyes like the back of his hoof, he had stared into them many times and years before, she also knew Button’s, his fire coloured irises that shone like a bright sunset, they spoke to her like a soft tune, both knew when the other was hiding a thought…a fear, it swam in them and could only be visible for but a moment, showing only in the eyes, windows to the soul, Sweetie could see what swam within Button…regret.

Sweetie wanted to say ‘good morning’, to hear him reply with the same, they would lay there and talk till the sun rose and both had to leave for school…but that wasn’t what she saw, Sweetie wanted to cry, she did, tearing up without a single word spoken.

Button’s long face tightened into strange confusion as she looked away from him, biting her lip, Button knew she knew, he for all his sharp words couldn’t lie through his own eyes.

Button sat up without saying a word, his head hung low as he sat there next to sweetie, her body facing away from him and her head wrapped in the same blanket that covered them both.

They both said nothing, no good words could come to their mouth, they just sat there stowing in silence, Button closing his eyes ran his hoof threw his mane, his hair stuck together by last night’s sweat.

“Sweetie….I” He stumbled, trying to force words to come out. She shut him off before he could say one sentence.

“Don’t say anything Button….just don’t” she croaked from under the blanket shroud, her body immobile.

“Can…..can we talk about…it” the Colt asked, trying to help, his brain still somewhat in a stupor.

“No….please…..just leave, I don’t want to talk about it” she pleaded in almost a whisper, barely a movement being made from her part.
Button slowly lifted himself from the blanket stood up, sweetie lying concealed on the floor, the only parts of her showing were her hooves and a small segment of her pink and purple mane. Grabbing the pack of 7 Button hid it back in his mane and slowly walked away from her, noticing the used condom lying on the edge of the snack table, he quickly grabbed it and put in the kitchen bin, the boy then proceeding to grab mug and flick the kettle on.

Sweetie belle still hid under the covers, tears slowly rolling down her nose and damply hitting the fibers, soaking in like raindrops. She felt dirty; tightly she wrapped herself in her arms. ‘Why did I have to….why’ she thought to herself, the cold hallway draft hitting her unconcealed hooves and legs.

Button poured the hot water into the mug, the brown coffee ground turning the clear water into a black pool, spiraling in the center with brown and mocha bubbles, he went to the fridge and took out a carton of milk, dabbing a few milliliters into the cup then finishing it with a slight shake of the sugar jar.

“Sweetie….You want a coffee, might do you good” Button jitterly asked, looking towards her hoping for some signs of life. She didn’t reply to him.

“…Ok then, just….don’t talk then” he retorted, bring the cup up to his lips and taking a few sips of the brew. It tasted like shit.

The Colt soon became agitated, he put the mug down and spoke towards the inanimate Sweetie again.

“Are you going to keep sulking all day” he asked her, stepping out of the kitchen and back into the living room.

“…” Sweetie didn’t reply, the only movement she produced was a slight slide of her leg.

Button felt like garbage, the mare had made him feel like he was disgusting.

“Fine, be like that then” he again retorted, giving her side a slight kick. *whack!*.

Button fell backwards and sweetie lunged on top of him, an utterly sour look on her and a hoof over Buttons mouth.

“Shut your fucking mouth” she whispered angrily, her face in a nasty twist as she pinned him down.

“Now leave me alone”.

Button didn’t want to, he bit her.

“Ow!”.

“So what you’re going to lie there forever, sulking” Button asked her, his face becoming full of frustration as he tried to lift her off him; failing.
“No I’m not Retard, I’m going to get up, go home, get ready for school and forget “ her voice was cracking “you making me feel like some back-alley whore booty call” She spat back, pushing him harder into the wooden floorboards, sending painful surges up his spine.

He was about to argue back when he stopped and decided to hold his words.

“Sweetie…I’m sorry I didn’t mean to…” Button stuttered purposefully, he knew he could argue through this but he didn’t feel he wanted too, seeing her like this brought a lead ball in his stomach.

“Please just leave me alone, go home to your girlfriend, I’ll just be waiting by like the slut I apparently am” she began to ramble on what was sticking to her brain, “I’ll just be your gods damn booty call wont I”.

“It’s not like that; I didn’t mean to do what I did last night” Button apologized, not realizing the intent of what she was saying.

This seemed to make Sweetie feel even worse.

“Of course you didn’t mean to…did you, you were horny and I was just some nice fuck for you wasn't I?” the white mare chocked, hopping of him and sitting herself up on the side of the couch.

“Hey wait a gods damn minute woman” Button joked unconvincing, rubbing his neck as he prodded himself onto the side of the lounge-chair “by what happened... last night you went for me”.

“Fuck Off” Sweetie replied. Turning away from him and rolling onto the white blanket.

“Look, let’s put things straight, what happened was…” Button stumbled over his tongue “an honest mistake, we were both drunk and…things went…look can we just put this behind us”.

“Putting your dick in me, that’s a bit hard to just put behind me Button” she replied.

“Well what else are we going to do?”.

Sweetie went to open her mouth then went silent before she could say anything, the mare slowly lowering her head, staying Quiet as Button got up and cleaned up the mess in the lounge room.

‘Why is it so hard’ Sweetie though to herself, running a hoof through her purple mane.

“Button?” she muttered softly picking herself up and scooping the blanket up with her arms.

“Y..yeah” the Colt replied, two pillows in his armpit and a can of orange scent spray in his hoof.

She picked up the blanket , put it back on the lounge-chair and walked up to Button, her slim white body the same size as his.

Button looked back at her, her mane teased and twisted into purple an pink tangles.

She moved her hoof forward.

*SLK*

She shanked his in the side then walked into the hallway, a melancholy smile on her lip as a single tear lazy fell from her eyeline, shattering on the floor like transparent glass.

Button didn’t notice, he gave the couch a sniff then sprayed it with the aerosol can, trying to remove the stank. He gave a second sniff then sprayed again.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“AHHH!” yawned Scootaloo, emerging from the corners of the wall, her mane just as tangled and twisted as Button’s or sweetie’s, thankfully, Button combed his half an hour ago, “Good Morning”.

“Morning” Button replied casually, sitting on the couch with his legs up on the coffee table, Cartoon network on the TV.

“What time is it?” she asked stretching her body forward and twisting her spine, little pops coming from her.

“10 till eight, the bus’l be at the stop in around an hour, get Rumble and the lovebirds up” Button told her, noticing how stiff and rigid her wings were.

“hey Scoot….your wings look abit… Hard?”.

“I think the word you’re looking for is erect Button, my wings are very erect” She replied to him, sounding like an English teacher, she began pruning at them with her muzzling, trying to clean them.

“Oh…. Um is that normal”.

“About as normal as Rumble Pitching a tent every morning, you should go wake him up, it’s like a circus top” Scootaloo joked, “But nah, It’s just a thing I get some days when I wake up, same as you I guess”.

Button nodded, trying not to stare at them, it didn’t make much sense to him but then again he wasn't a teenage Pegasus.

“Where’s Sweetie” the orange mare asked, cracking her wrists and neck.

“IN HERE!” she shouted, the sound of a sizzling pan in the distance.

“WATCHA COOKIN’!” ,Scootaloo yelled back, causing button to jump in fright.

“FRIED CAPSICUM!” the mare barked in reply, the house echoing with their loud feminine shouting.

“COOOL!, THANKS BAE!”.

“Are you trying to wake up the whole house?” Button sneered grabbing his ears as she yelled right in his ear.

“Yeah dingus, that’s the point” Scootaloo scoffed, plonking herself onto the couch next to Button and flinging her legs onto the coffee table.

“Oh…oh yeah right” the Colt replied.

Amber sunlight began to cut through the ash grey clouds and into the windows, staining the wooden floors in illuminate heat.

Soon Applebloom and Diamond tiara came from upstairs, rubbing their eyes and yawning, lipstick stains on their lips,neck and other various places.

Rumble too emerged, small orange feathers stuck in his mane and chin.

They all corralled themselves at the couch, stretching, yawning and sighing, each one of them a mess of sweat stains and tangled hair.

“Hungry Guys” Button asked to them as the group stared between each other, their faces crimson as they realized they had all done the same thing, unaware that ‘ALL’ of them had done the same thing.

“Hold on Hold on” Sweetie called out in reply, “There not finished yet…gods”.

“Will do, thank you Sweetie” Rumble called out, falling down onto the blanket and chair ”Watcha watchin’” he asked.

“Dunno, kids show” Button replied nonchalantly, his eye-lids half closed.

“It’s My little Human, decent show, bit too sweet for my taste, I think this is the episode were Twili learns the values of a teamwork” .

“This show gets worse and worse each episode” Button snorted, rubbing his nose.

Rumble gave him a half-hearted punch in the arm.

“Let’s not forget that Fic you made” he teased.

Soon the group was all on the couch, a hot plate of sizzling red Capsicum with pasta sauce and garlic was placed on the table, enticing them all with its aroma.

“SO…like” Diamond tiara gingerly put a strip of capsicum in her mouth, chewing it as she spoke, “do you guys do this all the time?”.

“Use too” Rumble replied eating his own share.

“Not much anymore then” .

“Dunno, maybe we should kick things back up, like when he were kids”.

The group snacked on the meal.

“Pweeew, this blanket stinks, smells like dick” Rumble announced, causing Button to almost choke on his breakfast, thinking fast he quipped back.

“Must be you getting your stank on it”.

“Probably, oh Applebloom I hope you don’t mind if I clean up Applejack’s room before I leave, me and Scoot…got abit…creative late night.

The yellow mare gave him a stink eye then begrudgingly pardoned him, getting a nudge from Diamond tiara who jerked her head in an upwards nod, indicating they may have the same issue in their own room.

“Jeez, were we all banging last night” Scootaloo remarked, “how did you and Button react to all that, did ya’s start knocking boots yourself?” Joking at Sweetie who tried not to stare at button with a ‘Frigging help me!’ face.

“uh..Doubt it, I couldn't sleep with Button jacking it, watching porn on his phone” she divulged, staring at Button and giving him a ‘play along’ look in desperation, making him blush with embarrassment at the bear faced lie.

“Oh.. yeah…I uh thought you were asleep, sorry” the Mocha colt chimed in, playing along.

“So help me Button if you jizzed on my blanket I will rip your cock out through your ass” AppleBloom commented, Button sank into the couch.

“So how much time do we have before the bus gets here?” Tiara asked, wrapped in the side arm of Applebloom.

“Around fifty minutes, I’ll probably head off now and get some stuff from home, ill meet ya’s at school.

Sweetie looked at him with a confusing stare, he never took books or anything with him, not even lunch.

“Oh well, uh, thanks for Coming Button it’s been too damn long since the gang was all back together, reminds me of the old days” Applebloom mentioned, getting up and giving him a hug goodbye, an orange and strawberry smell on her, it reminded Button of the two old mares that were his closet.

“See ya guys” button declared happily, waving to them all and walking down the hallway, cracking the door open and stepping out into the driveway.

“Oh Shit I uh, forgot to tell him about…something” Sweetie lied, jumping up and racing quickly after him, her mane now tied in a loose pony tail.

“Button” she called out jogging up and grabbing him on the shoulder, he looked like he had barely taken a step.

“yeah” he replied a semi-smile on his lips.

The mare quickly clammed up not thinking this far ahead, she wanted to speak but didn’t have the words , digging her back hoof into the dry soil she conjugated a sentence.

“Uh….look I didn’t, w..what happened last night was, you’re not going to tell anyone about it are you?” she stumbled.

“About what” he replied, causing her to give a breathy chuckle in acknowledgement, thy both began to rub their necks as the awkward silence set in.

“Apar….Apart from that, I'm really glad we patched things up, I really like having you as a f..friend Button, you’re a cool guy….you know…when you’re not glued on the Computer….thanks is all, thanks for uh…things” Sweetie babbled, her face twisting in adorable fits of different facial expressions as she hurdled and tripped over each sentence.

Button did the same.

“you’re welcome Sweetie, I um……reply enjoyed last night….the conversation I mean….it just good that all that shit’s behind us, I’m happy that your uh….still happy”.

They both stared around each other’s gaze, trying to either think of something to say or not making any eye contact what so ever, finally Sweetie broke in.

“Thanks for it all Button” she sweetly told him, giving him a hug and kissing him on the cheek, the pack of 7 falling out his mane and hitting the dirt.

“Oh I uh”, “yeah you uh… better get that”, they both babbled as Button picked the little box up and hid it in-between his hair.

Sweetie wandered back inside; giving him a little wave as she closed the door.

Button Mash turned back towards the dirt road and looked up, the sun beams tore through the grey clouds and buried themselves in the droplets of the morning dew, turning the grass into a field of gold beads that stung Button’s eyes.

He looked over to the tree he grabbed the Zap-apple from, its sturdy wooden trunk stood tall and limber, tiny garish fruits still lazily drooping from its branches, Button approached it, the same placid look on his face.

He lifted his arm up and plucked another rainbow textured apple from its body and brought it up to his mouth, he opened his lips just an inch and whispered to its bulbous frame.

“This is all your fault…”.

With all his might he threw the fruit into ground, exploding in a ball of golden syrup and juices that coated the grass in a sugary water, he then brought his hoof down and grinded whatever remained into the dirt, mud staining his hooves.

“RRRRGGHHH!” Bursted Button, stomping one leg after the other onto the fruit then tearing any near-by apples down and doing the same, his eyes a grizzly bloodshot as his face went red with anger.

*WHACK!* He with all his force struck the tree’s frame with his right hoof, pulling back and taking a few wooden chips with him, it stung like hell but he didn’t care, with another strike he launched another arm into the tree, then another and another till blood was dripping from his hooves. By the time he was down there was a large white gash in the side of the tree, the size of a soccer ball, tiny drops and spits of blood in and around it.

Button stared at the carnage that was the apple tree.

“RAAAGGGHH!” he hissed, slamming his head against it as his arms hooves could take on more swing.

*SMACK!*, a single bead of scarlet blood running from his hair line and dribbling onto the jade grass.

Button trudged out of the front gate, towards home.

Season 2 Part 7: Choose Your Party.

The sand dusted over the tar black road sending tiny shimmering diamonds flying into the warm air and settling on the road-side, the sky was a pitch black type of night, tiny stars twinkled above the cragged mountain dunes. The highway road was almost dead, cept for the few ghost coaches that zoomed past in a red neon blur and barreling into the distant nowhere. The landscape has a harsh barren nothingness, eaten by the grain of white sand and chalky dust, cactus trees spurt from tiny outcrops with arms raised high and tin spines that prodded out with sharp ends. A nothing car could be heard, zooming down the highway, its wheels making a crunching sound as it ran across stray sand gusts, its rickety frame shaky and coughing plumes of grey exhaust.

*BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGG* motored the coach, zooming past a 110 speed side with little awareness, in the distance was the faint lights of a caravan park, illuminated by thick wooden stalk with rusty field lights at the top, tiny metal coffin boxes ran through its plots.

The coach pulled into the turn off, its wheels spitting tiny eroded rocks behind it. The zone was both alive and decollate, caravans sat in rows along the entrance with small electrical signs of life showing, a large grey brick shower-block and bathroom stood half eaten in the far corner, two skinny Colts whispering to each-other as a tiny white bag exchanged hooves, their eyes staring to the maroon coach in paranoia.
*ERRRRRRRR* screeched the vehicle, parking up beside the only structure that resembled a home, a red brickwork house with a tiny dim yellow light shining from the window, a few cacti shrubs for a front garden.

In the light of the curtain a silhouette moved, hearing the wheels come to a screeching stop, the coach’s door cracked open and a red haired colt stepped out of the vehicle, his neck wrapped round with a white bandage and his body hidden in a brown leather trench coat.
Rudey looked around the yard and adjacent caravan park, the whole place had a placid deadness to it, even as every lot was packed with a silver camper or green tent the entire establishment seemed to smell of crippling loneliness, a Colt would come here to forget his sorrows...or dull them with what-ever drug he could find.

The ginger pony walked through the half-standing chain-link fence and past the chipped lawn gnomes, approaching the rosewood door and ringing he was greeted by a disembodied voice from a speaker box just above the doorbell.

“Are ya lookin’ ta stay the night or are ya hopin’ ta stay a while”.

Rudey guessed by the half-thick accent that this was his guy.

“I’m lookin’ to stay for a while, I was told by Saul Whipinlash to come to you for…assistance” Rudey replied, hearing a muffled sigh over the intercom.

“…bollocks, all right come in” the voice agreed, the wooden door rattling as tiny locks were dismantled. Rudey was greeted by a 40+ Colt with a brown coat and half-maintained beard scruff, his breath smelt of bitter whiskey, his cutie mark a soccerball.

“Names Kickin” he announced casually, ushering the Red colt into the house and re-locking the door, his body was a thin frame but had somewhat muscly legs, a tattoo was visible on his right arm that spelt out in imitation hand-written underlined font “Care And Nurture” with two names below reading “Pitt” and “Button”.

“Names Rudey Hill” The gangster replied, finding a lounge chair to sit on.

“I take it you’re the chap who survived that Crimson heart thing” Kickin asked, heading into the kitchen and pulling two long-necks from the fridge.
“Aye that I am, ended up with my neck slit” Rudey replied, carefully rubbing his bandages at an itch he couldn’t reach.

“Shite, by what I heard some drugged out kid busted in and shot up the place, shame too, I used to run product for Guy” KIckin said half-heartly, acting somewhat drunk.

“Aye aye, look eh…kickin, Saul told me I could come to you for somewhere too lay low, is that true?” Rudey asked, slumping into the brown hide lounge chair, the thin light of a tall lamp the only real light in the roof.

The Colt replied with a pop of his beer top, sad brown bubbles fizzling from the glass lip.

“Depends, how hot are you?”

“they know my name….my face, my address, my family”

“and what did you do to provoke the fuzz now, so I can get an idea of what a fucked up gods damn mess your in?”

“they want me for what I know about the Crimson hearts raid….aswell I burnt down an apartment…and If they find the work I did for Guy then I’m really fucked”

The Brown colt pressed the cool beer up against his head and let out a exhausted sigh, rolling the bottle across his forehead.

“Ok, so you’re a level 5 job, shit….I tend to handle level 3ers to 4s. Ok well, we don’t get any of the royal guard around these parts cept for the odd highway policeman, Ill sort out some documents and set you up with a new ID, till then there’s a spare cabin in C plot.”.

“thanks uh…Kick” Rudey replied lifting himself up from the spongy lounge and heading back towards the door, the second limey following sleepily behind.

“You’re lucky I owe Saul, remember that, if it wasn’t for him I’d never take on a level 5 client like you”.

“Cheers”.

Rudey again looked out across the trailer park, sand and trash littered everywhere with dirt roads that cut across the dead grounds like small boxes, splitting the area into little plots of dusty soil. A plot, B plot and the one we would be staying in, C block. C block was little more than a few wooden cabins with a horrible faded pink paint job that cracked of like flakes, each structure had a heavy wooden door and a thin rusty ariel protruding from the top, reminding Rudey of a crack-den. This would be his new home.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

*Crshhhhhh* came hot smoke from the yellow bus, grinding up against the curb and in front of Button, its door lazily sliding open as once again the stern face of scruffy was seen, his grey muzzle drooping as he had a small toothpick in his mouth.

The sky was now a faded orange as the amber sun crawled out from behind the mountain and spat sun-rays out onto the waking ponyville.
Button looked along each window on the bus, a young face behind each one. He dreaded the one 3 seats from the back on the right, his seat and….Scarlet’s.

There was a huge lead ball in Buttons stomach; he could feel it tearing through his gut as a new ball started to form in his throat just as heavy. The colt gave a large gulp as he shakingly stepped onto the bus.

First row,he could see her in the far distance her blood red hair conflicting with the blue imitation leather on the seats, she saw him, her face gave a smile as she gave a slight wave and waited for him to accompany her .second row; there were other people near her, Rumble like always but also Scootaloo…and applebloom….diamond tiara and…Sweetie Belle, all of them chatting to each-other.

Third Row; “oh gods what are they saying, are they talking about me? I cant tell”, Fourth Row; please just don’t noti…shit, they all see me, there all staring, waiting for me..oh crap” Fifth row; “Ok Button you can do this, everything’s normal it’s all cool, sixth row; “Im fine Im fine..Im fi-i-i-i-ne. seventh row; Shit shit shiiiiit”, eight row; I cant do this oh gods help me, ninth row; “AHHHHHH!!!” Tenth row; “hey Guys” button announced taking his seat next to Scarlet and acknowledging them, his face smiley and care-free.

“Morning babe” The Orange mare said, giving him a warm hug as he slunk into his seat. “So the group was just telling me about the party”.

“oh..oh really, what about” Button chuckled awkwardly.

“Just about how you got drunk and fucked Sweetie belle behind my back” Scarlet replied cheerily.

“Whaaaaaaat!”……..Button spat, shaking himself back into reality.

“I said how they were saying how good mean mares is?” she retorted confusingly.

“oh” Button stupidly replied, rubbing his eyes.

Rumble (slinging himself from the forward seat as usual) asked Scarlet if she had met any of the other gang, applebloom, tiara etc.

“Have you met Sweetie Belle” he chirped, taping sweetie on the shoulder who was pretending to be texting.

Sweetie turned around and confusingly waited for a reply.

“Oh uh, yes we have actually, her sister Rarity is my tutor” Scarlet replied.

“ha yeah that right” the white mare began “Oh she asked me to tell you if you could make it friday after school, Thursday tomorrow she’ll be at Twilight Sparkle’s”.

“Heck yeah, she’s the best, honestly ..Sweetie belle?...I think, she’s such a good teacher, very thorough” Scarlet chatted, flick the strands of hair from her face, here Mane was somewhat different to most Ponies, it was a bright red and black tipped at the ends of each hair, it also parted just left of the centre of her hairline causing two feathered fringes to drape out each end like an arch, it tended to brush just up against her right eye.

As Scarlet began to chat with Rumble Sweetie shot Button a somewhat sour look as she returned to texting on her phone, giving the ball in button’s gut an extra ten pounds, he began to stare out the window as his girlfriend sung herself over the seat in front of them. The clouds looked a wispy pink, all saturated in the bathe of morning light, there rickety old coach cut through the sky and little more than a snail’s pace, button in the distance could see the countryside, green grasslands and grey mountains. He could feel himself growing tired, Button closed his eyes and fell asleep, resting against his seat.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Have you got all your things packed, your clothes, sheets, books and electronics, are you forgetting anything?” Karen Mash asked, her face picking against the colts mane and appearance.

“Hah, Mom I've got everything trust me” Replied Pitt Mash, his head being assaulted by the prodding hooves of his mother, scuffing his mane and styling it to a cleaner less shaggy look.

“I'm sorry hun, its just your about to leave, I'm just being…all old and stuff, do you have your dorm key, your coach keys, have you got all your books?” she again asked in paranoia.

Pitt carefully wrapped his arms around her and gave her a loving hug as she began to tear up in his embrace.

“It’s just…Your off to college now, it’s going to be weird not having you around anymore”.

“ha, you mean not having me glued to a computer screen or rumbling the house down with my guitar amp”.

“Pretty much…I really am going to miss you dear, my little handsome man” she chuckled, pinching his cheek, “you’re the spitting image of your father”.

“Thanks mom” he chuckled back, giving her a hug as she held back a croaky whimper.

“you’d better go say goodbye to Button, though I don’t think he really wants to talk right now, he’s been locked away in his room for the whole morning, so hey, say your farewells while you have the opportunity” Karen coaxed, her large blue eyes somewhat reddened by invisible tears.
“Im about too, I know this is going to hit him hard, ever since dad left” Pitt confided in his mother, sleeking his blonde hair out of his face.
“He should be fine he’s a big boy now, though I wonder how its going to be now…just him and me”.

The older Mare rubbed her forehead, her thoughts scattered and murky, half a bottle of bourbon still flowing through her system.
“You’ll do fine for now, I’ll make sure to call as soon as I get to Fillydephia”.

“Please do hun…you’d better go say your goodbyes to Button you’ve go pick up Mel and Boomer at there’s in 5 minutes” Karen notified him, making a jeering movement to him that pointed upstairs.

“I’ll do that now, I’ve got a present for him anyway” Pitt replied kissing his mother on the cheek and handing her his last two boxes to pack in the coach.

The brown colt walked up the stairs and towards Button’s room, the door was closed and the sound of Metal Gear Solid could be heard. Pitt opened carefully the door and looked to see his younger brother playing his PlayStation, pressed right up against the TV with headphones plugged in.

“Button?” Pitt asked, stepping into the room, his hoofsteps creaking against the floorboards.

The ten year old boy didn’t reply, the only sound he made was the incessant clicking of toggles and buttons, his mind unaware to the rest of the world.

“Button…you there bro” Pitt again questioned this time jerking the young colt’s shoulder with his arm, shaking him back to reality.

“wa..wahh…oh, yeah man” the child crudely replied, his teeth clamp down on his tongue as he snuck around guards.

“aren’t you gunna say goodbye to your big brother?” .

“oh…yeah..bye” Button replied, slipping back on the headphones and resuming his game.

With a swift and powerful movement Pitt swept Button up with his powerful grip and gave him a legendary bear hug, crushing Button’s ribs and shattering his bones as he gasped for air.

“I'm going to miss you Butt head, no more chillin’ with my baby brother!” he jubilantly huffed, squeezing Button tighter and tighter ashe started to go blue.

“Breathe…bre..athe..breathe” rasped the young colt kicking and trying to escape, his tiny frame thrashing about as his brother’s large arms locked him in place. Finally Pitt released the poor child, plopping him on the bed in a ball of gasps and coughs.

“W..what are you…trying to do…kill me” Button heaved, taking in large gulps of oxygen.

“Eh you’ll be fine, you can take a little asphyxiation cant you, heh, where’s my goodbye, Im heading to college, any final words before I leave?” Pitt asked, the small Colts face immediately going from angry wheezing to solemn sadness in a heartbeat.

“Just..eh…take care, how long are you…leaving for?” squeaked Button, picking his propeller cap from off the floor and pretending to take interest in it. Pitt Mash looked at him and rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to word out a decent response in his head.

“Ill try to visit when I get the time, it’s going to be tough thou, me and the guys decided to go splitsies on a rental home in west Filly, you know where granny use to live. So yeah, plus I’ve got to figure out where all our instruments are going to go, like lets be real, four guys to one three bedroom house, not a lot of space….things could get pretty gay, know what I’m saying”.

“Pitt?” Button asked.

“yeah” his sibling replied.

“why are you going to college,you don’t need it to do music”.

The older Colt rubbed his teeth along his bottom lip.

“Well, I love playing music, rocking out with the guys but…I like other things as well, I’d like to study English and history as well, maybe do some writing or art, I don’t want to be doing one thing my whole life you know, it’s a big world out there….lots to see…..lots to do” Pitt explained, realising that what Button was really saying was that he didn’t want him to leave.

“Button” he continued “this isn’t like dad, I’m not leaving our lives forever, far from it, I just want to go see the world while I’m still young, you never know when your gunna kick the bucket,”.

Button just nodded in dis-genuine agreement, his face long and shoulders slouched.

Pitt looked around in discomfort, hoping to get some sort of response.

“Please bro, can you give me something here?”.confided the brown Stallion.

“Like what, your leaving that’s it”.

“Then why do you look so sad about it”.

“Because ‘I am’ sad”. Button confessed, smacking the controller against his lap.

“We’ll I was at least hoping we could have some heart to heart before I leave”

Button turned his attention back to the TV, a small sob coming from him.
…
Pitt sat next to the young colt, not saying a word, just watching him play, both of them watching the character move around on screen.

“I don’t know why….but I’m going to miss this” Pitt confessed with a melancholy smirk.

“Miss what” the young boy replied in confusion, most of his attention and willpower focused on the game.

“Video Games, seems like at least every other night where either playing halo or minecraft, street fighter or Mare-e-o Kart, its like the passing of an era or something…I don’t know why…but it makes me sad” the older one explained tapping his hooves against his legs in a metronomic rhythm.

The game paused.

Button slowly put down the controller and wrapped his arms around his big brother, burying his face into his arm as he made muffled sobs, Pitt putting his closest arm around Button’s shoulder and resting his check on the boy’s mane.

“I don’t want you to go”.

“I know Button…I know”.

…

..

“Hey bro, I’ve got something for you, check your drawer over there”.

The young colt slowly lifted himself out of his brother’s arm and wiped his eyes, giving a slight sniffle as h stretched his hoof over to his wooden clothes draw next to his bed. Inside was a felt blue cloth. Button took it out and looked confusingly at Pitt who simply nodded humbly at the fabric, there was something inside it. Unfolding the cloth Button found a thin gold link chain with a shimmering golden moustache design hanging on the end, Button’s confusing turned to a giggle as he remembered how him and Pitt would sneak into their father’s bedroom and wear his paparazzi gear.

“Read the back” Pitt asked, pointing to the jewellery.

Button flipped the facial fluff and read the words engraved into the gold design.

‘The Stache’

Again Button wrapped his arms around his brother this time trying to mimic the tight squeeze he was given night two minutes ago, hilariously failing to match the strength of his older sibling.

“Oww I think you broke my rib bro” joked Pitt, pretending to feel out of breath.
“How much did it cost you?”.

“Doesn’t matter, it’s yours Button, a little reminder that your big bro isn’t such a dingus sometimes” chuckled Pitt, ruffling Button’s hair. He looked at his watch and bit his lip.

‘”Crap, well I’ve gotta head now if I want to pick up Boomer and melodyBlues on time” the older pony announced, slowly lifting himself of Button’s bed and stretching his back out.

“Now remember Button, no crime, no drugs and most importantly NO Mares, they’ll mess you up”.

“Will do bro” Button replied, clipping the necklace around his neck.

“I’ll call you from Filly, bye” consoled the chocolate brown Colt, his blonde mane somewhat shimmering by the light rays from the hallway.

“Bye Pitt” Button returned, a solemn smile on his mouth and a waving arm.

With that the eldest brother shut the door and left the room, the sound of his voice could be heard saying his farewells to his mother, eventually the door shut and the sound of a coach driving off was the last of him.

Another Mash had gone away.
…
..
.
“Button…..hey Button, wake up Button” came a female voice, pulling at Button’s shoulder, shaking him back into reality.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“W…Wha” Button Mash stuttered, looking around in confusion.

Scarlet put her hoof to her mouth and gave a giggle. “dude, where already at school, you’ve been asleep the whole trip, c’mon let’s get up, everyone’s already off except for you and me” she told him, pulling him up from the seat.

They both stepped of the bus and Button stretched out his arms.

“Your face is looking nice, no so…broken today” The short slender mare chatted as he woke himself up.

“oh….thanks” replied Button, feeling genuinely flattered by the comment, “I’m glad I don’t look like I just stepped out of Pulp Fiction” joked the colt, walking beside his girlfriend to her sitting spot.

“Hah, Someone go medieval on your ass, wake up the gimp and all that” Scarlet chimed back, once again flicking the stray hairs from her eye as she walked.

“You have no Idea babe, thankfully it’s over, I’m back…I’m here”.

“babe, whats this babe, you think where going out or something” Scarlet insinuated, her voice in a half chuckle.

“I assume so, you’ve been trying to get with me since we meet, I figured I might as well throw you a bone” the Colt replied, both of them turning the corner between the gym and sports field.

“we’ll then let’s just say your ‘Bone’ throwing needs a little improvement if you catch my drift” Scarlet cooed, bouncing her eyebrows at him.
Button made an exaggerated shock face as he pressed his hoof up to him breast.

“I think I was pretty good if I do say so myself” he protested giving her a bump with his side.

“Sure sure, just remember, it’s not always about you, give me some leeway, it’s about the journey not the destination, especially when the destination involves you making a cum face like you just had a stroke” Scarlet replied making a zombie face by rolling her eyes back and showing off a goofy half open smile.

“I do not do that” Button again protested.

“Your right, it’s really more authentic when you have the crotchety moaning sounds” the red headed mare affirmed.

“hey I don’t complain when you make the anime school girl sounds”, Button mimicked a high pitch mare, “Oh yes, oh, oh ah, yes, notice me sempai”.

Scarlet quickly pounced on him and locked his head in-between her arm and elbow, rubbing his scalp with the tip of her hoof.

“Nooogie”

“ow…oh…yes sempaii…ouch…notice…” Button cried still trying to maintain the voice.

“you’re a real pack of cards aren’t you Button” Scarlet commented, releasing him.

“I don’t know, I think I’m pretty boring” Button replied, more to himself than her.

“I guess I’m just into boring little nerds with Zelda tattoos then” Scarlet sighed in a snarky reply.

“And I guess I’m just into short little Goth chicks who are into boring little nerds with Zelda tattoos” Button cooed back as they finally made it to Scarlet's group, a small mass of dark shady Ponies with far too much eye-liner and well-worn metal band shirts.

Scarlet stretched up and gave Button a kiss on the lips then gave him a comforting hug, her feathered fringe bristling against his neck and sending quivering warmth up and down his body.

“Bye Babe” Scarlet told him as she wandered over and sat next to Styx her pale faced friend.

Button waved goodbye then proceeded to walk to the library, humming Song of Storms to himself.

Dum dadum dada dum, dum dada dada dum, his thoughts going around and around like a windmill.

Season 2 Part 8: Password: L.O.V.E

Karen trotted along the side of the stores, glass windows with products splattered behind them like jam jars, each face she past gave her a friendly smile or greeting, the typical politeness found in a place like Ponyville.

She had decided to go for a walk in town, the house feeling too big and empty to mope around in considering a bottle of vodka not a viable option at 2 pm. At her side was her saddlebag and inside that a small cache of gold Bits, she had a destination to reach, an old but important destination.

Up ahead she could see more happy faces with bright glittery eyes and cherub smiles as they moved in a collective rhythm of stop and go, approaching from ahead through the small groups passing was a familiar looking mare with sugary lollies on her flank.

“Hello Karen” Politely spoke BonBon, passing by with a large brown bag of groceries. Her mane wrapped in a ponytail.

“Good evening Bonny” replied Ms Mash, giving a semi genuine smile to the mare who sat at around her age.

“Great party last week, I really enjoyed it. Oh, sorry for uh….me and Lyra in Buttons room, I didn’t know it was his room, we just needed a bit of privacy” the cream mare retorted in a soft footed apology.

“It’s ok BonBon, you two were not the first to use Button’s closet as a private room, but next time make sure to use the spare bedroom instead, bed sheets are a lot easier to wash than clothes and coats” Karen replied to her drinking friend, the smell of chocolate and red-wine swimming around BonBon’s mouth like a sweets isle, perking Karen Mash’s nose in delight.

“Well I’ll see you next time K, I’ve got to dinner made for Lyra before she comes home from work in an hour, you know how it is” the creamy mare finished begin to trek back onto her original course.

“Hey Bonny, uh, who know who I haven’t heard from in a while, Berry Punch, she lives by close to your cottage right, how is she?” Karen asked hesitantly, trying not to force the question.

“Last time I spoke to her she was said something about visiting Whinny Beach up north or down south, I’m not sure, mentioned meeting a good friend, that was all I got though”.

“Hmm…thank you Bonny, I’ll see you later” finshed Karen, saying goodbye and hoping back on her course, her destination still ahead of her by three stores.

Standing beside a knitting store and a bargain shop stood an old placid Record store, lazily hiding inside an old white building with a sign reading ‘Earworm music’. A few faces could be seen through the thick glass windows, no one considered youthful, the typical age inside seemed to be 35.

The door opened wide and a familiar little ting came from a brass bell at the top of the entrance, announcing her presence to the whole store. To her left was a cashier’s bench with a unicorn cashier, her blue mane tied back in pony tail, grey coat blending with her black ‘AC/DC’ shirt, her right breast covered in multiple badges, babbles and buttons.

“Karry, is that you” the unicorn mare asked, her eyes widening as she seemed to know Button’s mother well.

“It’s been a while hasn’t it TJ” Karen replied, walking over to the cashier, both their faces in a smile, spreading her arms out TJ hugged Button’s mom from over the counter.

“so what are you doing here, I didn’t think anyone still bought music anymore” the mare joked, piercings, studs and rings dangling from her ears .

“I guess Im getting old then” Karen replied casually.

“Bullshit, you haven’t aged a day, hey how’s Pitt, I haven’t seen him since he was twelve”.

“oh Pitt, well he’s got his own little band now, PoisonJoke I think, by what he says there somewhat big time now”.

“are you kidding me Karen, we sell at least six of their CD’s a day”, TJ pointed up to a row of posters on the wall up above, one of them with a group of five ponies, at the front Was Pitt Mash, a guitar shaped like an axe slung on his shoulder.

“yeah but…his music is…kinda..pussy rock” the old mare chuckled, turning around back to TJ, slumping her arms on the counter and making a plead gesture. “Please tell me you still sell records?”.

The cashier lady ushered her over to the far right, a dusty shelf running along the wall was filled with large square slips, faded band names on each one.

“You still into hark rock Karry?” asked TJ, pointing her arm at the collection of times long past.

The mare nodded, slowly running her hoof along the sides of the old paper-back crests, her smile cutting wider as she caressed the plastic discs.

“It’s been years since I bought a new record” Karen cooed, speaking equally to herself as she was too her friend.

The unicorn gave a warm node in reply then politely walked away, leaving the mare with her privacy.

One by one went the records, names and nostalgia stacked neatly together. The Rolling Stones, Guns And Roses, Iron Maiden, AC/DC. Each name and title filled Button’s mother with a bright memory, sending her head back to the younger days.

In her mind played the sweet tunes of youth, songs of her childhood, of her pains, of her pleasures. Good times and the bad, it all hit her with a golden wave of memory and melancholy. Her thoughts disappeared into the sounds of strumming guitars and thumping drums. A ballad of blue behind her entranced eyes and soft amber face.

Karen hummed Genesis lyrics to herself softly.

“I remember long ago, when the sun was shining, and the stars were bright all through the night…and the sound of your laughter as I held you tight”.

She faded from the reality, into her mind.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“GOAL!” Shouted Kickin, jumping up from his car-seat and hitting his head against the roof of the coach, sending him crashing back down into the foamy wool.

The radio went ablaze with the sound of a roaring crowd, fans screaming out in applause as the Football game exploded in a flurry of noise.
Karen was in the seat next to him, both her legs slung on the dashboard, her face in a casual smile as she slowly enjoyed her cup of vanilla ice-cream.

Both the two where alone on a dirt hill overlooking the bright amber lights of FIllydephia, the night a black plane with dotted diamond stars, the moon lazily appearing behind the shroud of ghostly clouds. The coach they were sitting was Kickin Mash’s vintage black cruiser, dents in the back and an exposed engine at the front. The interior was a wood panelling dashboard with brown wool-woven seat covers.

“You really know how to please a girl Kick” she playfully announced, smacking her lips on the plastic spoon.

“Sorry hun, I just want to catch the last ten minutes you know…plus its Manchester so…yeah, I’m sorry babe” he conceded, rubbing his head, holding an ‘ouch’ under his breathe.

“You know when I knock off from the hospital and my Hubby picks me up and tells me where going to the point I expect something a little more passionate than Soccer matches.

The Colt chuckled, flicking the radio and turning off the coach, the hum of the ignition flicking off and turning the car silent in the midnight moonlight.

“Karry, Do you remember when we came here back in highschool ” Kickin asked, running his hooves along the rubber steering wheel.
“Of course I do, it was the first time we made love” The mare replied, ruffling her black leather jacket into the seat.
“I remember we came here after the prom, gods I was so stupid back then, remember I wore my pink tuxedo with the blue bowtie, I looked
like such a damn Bell-end” The colt stuttered, tapping his legs on the floorboards of the vehicle, Karen somewhat confused by his fidgetiness.

“I wore the red dress that Mom and Dad bought me, you ended up spilling strawberry punch on the back of it when you got me a drink”.
Giggled the cream coated mare, her nurse uniform still under her leather jacket.

They both started to reminisce.

“Well what I’m saying is that after the prom, I thought I was dead in the water that night, when I stopped this coach in front of your place I knew without a shadow of a doubt that you would hop out and never speak to me again…but”, Kickin took a cassette out of from the side and put it in the radio, fast-forwarding it then sliding back in his seat as it played.

‘Some people call me the space cowboy, yeeeeah’ the disembodied voice begun, a thumpy bass filling up the coach, ‘Some call me the gangster of love’.

“Some people call me Morris” Karen started to mouth out along with the music, putting the cup of ice-cream in her lap as she nodded her head to the tune.

Kickin began to nod as well, “Well I remember you were just about to leave with that disappointed look on your face when that song came on, you stopped and started to mumble…then sing, I was so scared you were going to hate me even more if I joined in so I didn’t make a peep, but” he choked up slightly, “You closed your eyes and kept singing, I started to join in then we became two stupid kids singing badly out the front of your parents’ house. I felt so happy singing with you, when the music ended I felt my heart sink like an anchor because I didn’t want you to leave”
“But then I asked if you wanted to go get something to eat” Karen replied, helping him out with a loving grin.
“Aye, we got Burgers…at the take-away past the highway… then when we were done talking I asked you…” this time he couldn’t even finish his sentence without letting out a giggly sigh of embarrassment.

“You Asked me I’f I wanted to see the most beautiful thing in the world” Karen again replied, giving a smile herself, she looked around the dirt parking area they were on, tall pine trees and a sheer drop a few metres ahead, block by the wooden guards.

Karen retold the story, “We came here and stared out at Filly, the radio playing the greats as we talked. Eventually I got tired and you asked if you wanted to drive me back home”.

“You said no” Kickin added.

“You asked if it was Ok if you kissed me on the lips” the vanilla mare said with a smile.

“You said yes”.

“Then we both made love that night, in back of this coach” Karen finished, putting her hoof over Kickin’s leg, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

The colt still didn’t seem to be finished speaking; He cleared his throat and turned to her, his orange eyes wide and doughy.

“Karen, After that night I had never loved someone so much in my life, I was so sad when school finished and we left each other, but…But after a soccer match years later… and a broken knee cap…I found you again, I found the only mare I could ever be with, I will love you for the rest of my life…your my angel.

The Mare was in tears, wiping her eyes with her arm, a reddened smile on her face.

“I thought it was fitting to come back here so I could tell you…” he reached behind the seat and grabbed a blue velvet box.
“Oh Goddess…Kickin….is this really happening” she said in sobs, her blue eyes crying floods of joyful tears.

“Karin Rosemary Nurture…Will you marry me” Kickin Mash asked her, a large golden ring exposed in the box, looped through the band a wax-coated blue carnation from years passed.

The mare looked at the ring and her eyes became doused in the most joyful tears she ever had.

“What do you think” she replied in a playful whelp, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face into his mane, tears streaming down her face.

Kickin cradled her in his arms, gently rocking side to side, humming softly.

He with his free hoof turned back on the coach and flicked the heater on.

“I love you Kickin Allister Mash” she said, slowly falling asleep in his embrace.

“I love you Karen Rosemary Mash” he replied, kissing her forehead.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Just where our lives are going too….” Finished Karen, snapping out of her trance, Genesis on her lips.

She blink her eyes and looked around, she found herself clutching a record, a blue bounded slip with a red outline of a horse on the front, the title read ‘Stevie miller band: Greatest hits’. She turned it round and read the top song, The Joker.

She gave a little smile to herself as her eyes began to water slightly.

“You Ok Karry, you’ve been staring at that album forever now?” TJ asked her, bending over the glass counter.

“I’m fine just…humming to myself” The vanilla mare replied, wiping her eyes and walking to TJ. Karen stopped then turned back around, she stopped back where she started and hesitantly looked at the record.

She put it back and grabbed a REM album instead, leaving her memories, joy and sadness in-between Simple Minds and Santana.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button and 8Bit where totting back from the cafeteria ,their two chocolate milk bottles now chucked in a thick green hedge bush, its insides bursting with rubbish and refuse like an engorged cube.

The two friends where chatting as they walk on back to the library, the sun lazily dragging itself crawling down the afternoon sky, dimly illuminating the grey concrete buildings and few grassed areas.

“So I’ve been talking to this….girl right and where really close” 8Bit asked skittishly, trying to seek a bit of advice from his now emotionally-committed buddy.

“But we can’t exactly…let people know where…close”.

“Why’s that” Button replied curiously, somewhat unbelieving of his shy friend love-life.

“well, she’s uh, she’s not the prettiest, she looks almost…like a colt” 8Bit shotily retorted, trying not to drop any major hints to Button.
“Hmm, well…I would uh” Button tried to speak, unknowing of how to answer the question.

“If your afraid of people then…you..uh” he juttered his words, finally he decided to answer a question more for him than 8Bit.

so you’re not allowed to see her because of what other people will think…well you should…eh…I, I can’t honestly tell you Bitty” the brown colt confessed, dealing with the same issue himself.

“Oh ok…..well, I guess I’ll just ask him…’HER’, I’ll just ask her about it later I guess” 8Bit said disheartened, gaining nothing really from Button’s reply

“I wish I could’ve helped you more but I don’t know the answer to that question….I really do wish I did though” Button Mash confided, rubbing his arms in instinct.

“Button, have you ever felt like you desperately want to tell people something and hope everything will be OK in the end…kinda just wish everything would go fine and no one would be hurt by it”

The brown colt turned to the smaller orange one and put his arm on his shoulder.

“you have no Idea”.

8Bit gave a small smirk, his messy blue mane just covering his right eye.

They’re came a silence.

“Button, I need to ask you something” the shy orange pony asked, his face turning serious.

“Shoot” Button replied.

“You know how I live across from the Crimson Hearts Club, well a few nights ago I saw-“ 8Bit was cut off by a ‘Hello’ from behind them.

Approaching at a brisk pace was Sweetie belle, trying to act casual but softly panting as it was clear she hurried towards them.

“Hey Sweetie” replied 8Bit, feeling somewhat downtrodden that he was once again cut off, though to him that was the norm.

“H-hi Sweetie” Button mash also replied, somewhat confused by the swift greeting .Feeling somewhat awkward, he looked at his hooves, they still had bits of wood chips indented in them along with bloody cracks that stung when he walked.

“Uh 8Bit, can I speak to Button alone for a sec, I really need to talk to him about something” Sweetie asked, her green emerald eyes persuading the young colt to walk off back to the library, leaving Button alone with her.

She turned to Button.

“So..hey” The brown colt said.

“Hey” Sweetie replied, a disembodied wall between them.

“So you wanted to speak to me”, “I do” they horribly chatted, Button feeling like they were back to awkward banter.

Nothing felt like it changed.

Sweetie tried to speak but kept looking at her hooves, unable to keep an eye to eye conversation with Button.

“About last night” the pearl white mare began, quickly getting stopped by the mocha brown colt.

“Sweetie please” Button pleaded, trying to walk away but getting stopped by a gentle hoof on the shoulder, seniding a warm tingle up his back.

“About last night” she continued, “ I feel like I need to get this off my chest, I know you want to blame last night on drinks and say we were both drunk when we did what we did but truth is” Sweetie belle’s eyes again darted away from him, like two magnets shooting away from each other, “I needed to get something out of my system, and I thought seeing as we had…done it before, you would be what I needed to… to get it out of my system, but it feels like all its done has opened up a new set of problems rather than satisfy the old ones”. Button’s face was in a stupor at what Sweetie was saying, feeling betrayed somehow.

the colt went rigid, his ears burning hot.

“You mean you were already planning to sleep with me?” Button asked, trying to figure out what she was saying, “But…Sweetie you knew I was already going out with Scarlet, wha—why, sweetie how could you do that!?”.

“Button I swear I never planned it, It’s just that, when we were talking about when we were kids, and when I began to fall asleep on your shoulder it, it reminded me of when we used to do all that stuff, it made me feel…loved” Sweetie belle explain, her Emerald gaze finally meeting Button’s on the last word, his heart pumping blood like a fire-hose.

Button stuttered as he tried to reply, caught in the grips of anger, confusion and love.

“Sweetie you knew I was with Scarlet…you knew” The colt was speaking less in a demanding tone and more a pleading one. “How could you do that to me, put me in that situation”.

“I know I know Button, I am so sorry but, I wanted to feel that feeling again, like what we used to feel for each-other, at the party I just sort of, forgot about everything”. Sweetie belle looked as if she was going to cry. “When we were laughing and reminiscing it made…it ma-, it made me love you again.

Button stumbled back as if he had been hit by a bus, his breathing in a shallow flutter, heart thumping in his chest.
He went silent, gawking with eyes as wide as planets, confusion blistering in his pupils.

“Sweetie….I….I” he began to slowly back away, something deep within his subconscious causing him to get as far away from the situation as possible.

Sweetie tried to reach out and grab him again but could barely get a hoof on before it fell to her waist-side, unable to link with him.
“Button, please, please don’t hide away….not this time, I really need you to be here right now” she asked of him, her tone sad but low pitched as if she expected him to faultier, his copping method driving him away from her.

Button still slowly backed away, mumbling ‘I’ to himself as if in a trance.

‘Give up, you can’t fight nature boy’ Came a gruff foreign voice from inside the colts head, as if some stranger was speaking inside his mind. ‘Go on walk away from your problems, its easy, go and forget it all’ The voice finished, ending in a cruel chuckle that made button stop in his tracks.

…
*thump*

..
*thump*
.

‘No’ Button thought to himself, ‘No more hiding!’.
His head feeling as if it was being hit on every angle by iron sledge-hammers.
Button stopped walking away, he opened his eyes, and he opened his ears, his matter pulling at his bones, trying to force him to keep walking.

It gave Button a burning sensation.

“Sweetie Belle….I…I…I need to tell you something, I need you to please understand” Button stuttered, every fibre of his body pushing away from him, only keeping still by sheer will power.

The white mare bit her bottom lip, preparing herself for what Button might say, her shimmering green eyes wet with anticipation and hesitation.

“Sweetie…I…. I love you, I love you though I really wish I didn’t, Every time I think about you it feels like someone is jamming a knife in my side, it’s a horrible feeling to have for someone, to have feelings bottled deep away like a tumour, not being able to get rid of them no matter how hard you try or how long you wait” Button forced himself to speak from his heart, every word stinging like poison as he constructed them but relieving him as they left his mouth, sweetie was attentive and didn’t look away as Button expected her too, she seemed to be understanding what he was saying or gods forbid; feel the same way.

Button continued, taking a large breathe as what he was saying seemed to knock the energy from him.

“For last night, don’t be sorry…please don’t be, it wasn’t your fault so don’t blame yourself, I wanted to do it just as much as you did, and I as much as I want too say otherwise..I-I don’t regret what we did or the time we spent together, you’re a good friend, you put up with my crap more than anyone I know … even when I’m a foul tempered little shit, I thank you….”, Button’s lead weight turned to granite as what he was about to say hit him harder than he ever thought, causing him to choke up horribly.

“I want to Love you so much, to have you and hold you through the night but…I can’t, we’ve been down this road, we know where it leads” , Buttons glassy eyes dulled like sad fireballs, his throat feeling as if a sword had been driven through his neck, a nasty twisting feeling in his gut.
He looked her in the eyes as he spoke his last words; he owed her that more than anything, standing towards her as an equal.

“it’ll just end the way it always had, at least with Scarlet I don’t know what the end result will be, I think I love her and I hope she loves me too, I can’t give up what I’ve got because ….because of you, Sweetie belle, I love you so deeply it fucking kills me, but I can’t, because if I do it’ll just end in heart-ache, like before…It always fucking does” Ended Button, almost clasping onto the ground, his heart felt heavy and his tongue tasted dry.

Sweetie’s eyes fell like dying doves at Button’s conclusion, her pupils scampering on her hooves and the colt in front of her, her lips trying to twist out words but barely able to form a syllable. Sweetie soon became silent, her body a statue with her spirit hidden inward, it reminded button of how she looked when they woke up together, sadness, he finally understood what she was saying then that morning.

Button couldn’t fight it; he moved forward and wrapped his arms around her, cushioning her head in his shoulder. She quickly gripped onto him, as if she was about to fall, Button felt her wet tears on his fur, she drove her hooves into his back as she held on as tight as she could.

“---Button how do I make it stop… the hurting, how do I get rid of it” she asked, her voice at an almost silent whimper.

“you don’t” he answered truthfully “ you just have to hid it and hope to forget it in time, the hurting doesn’t stop it just slowly dulls away like an old memory”.

The colt began to rock side to side, humming a comforting familiar tune to her.

“I’m so sorry” Sweetie belle said to him, her face still buried in his mocha coat.

“For what?”.

“I left you when you needed someone the most, when your brother left…I’m so sorry Button, I wish I could ha-“ Sweetie belle was cut off as the Colt put his hoof carefully onto the back of her mane, pushing her deeper into his warm fur, a warm ‘Shhhh’ coming from him, a strange almost alien comfort never seen from Button.

They both stood there hugging, gently rocking back and forth as the white mare cried silently in the colts embrace, feeling no rush or hint to stop. Button felt different, he had never acted like this before, it made him feel warm inside, like the zap-apple but…different.
“Thank you” Sweetie whispered to him, lifting her head up and wiping her eyes and nose.
“For what” Button repeated.

“For not hiding, I know how awful it is facing stuff like this, I’ll remember what you’ve done for me, I promise I will Button”
Button kissed her on the forehead and cupped his hoof on her reddened cheek, her complexion a cherry red in a sea of white.

“I do love you Sweetie belle, I always will…I just need…to see where my roads take me” Button Mash told her, feeling her soft face nuzzle against his arm.

“I…I love you too Button, I think I understand what you mean” Sweetie replied, emerald eyes glimmering in the evening sun, her heart hurting as she tried not to show it, Button’s heart feeling the same.

*BRINGGGGGGG!!!!!!* went the lunch bell, telling the two they needed to go back to life, to class, to their own little castles. As they parted if felt to them as if they were ripping of their arms.

One to the computer lab one to the music room, they left other with longing in their hearts.

“You Bitch!” angrily whispered Backslash, watching them leave from behind a brick wall, his face twisted with spite and scorn as he saw the two leave, his blood burning red as his slick brown mane began parting in the middle of his forehead.

“Button you little rat….trying to take ‘My’ mare…you think your soooo great don’t you making Sweetie hate me, this is all your fault Mr big-shot, I’ll make you pay…I give my word you will fucking pay for this Mash!”.

Season 2 Finale: (1/3).

Author's Note

Season finale I've split up into 3 parts which Ill release in one week intervals, this is part 1 and trust me you'r going to want to see what's about to go down in the next two.

Oh and thanks guys for helping me reach 2000 views, it really give ya that warm and fuzzing feeling inside doesn't it :) .

Season 2 Finale: (1/3).

Backslash creped along the steamy tiled walls of the gym entrance, the artificial lighting flickered on and off in a mad routine as the bulb was fit to blow, draping dark shadows along the floor.

Closer and closer he snuck towards the front exit of the sporting facility. The sound of grunts and hardy laughing up ahead past closed glass doors
*Tap* Tap* *Tap* went his hooves against the cold white tiles.

Suddenly from behind Backslash heard the louder heavier sound of approaching hoof-steps trailing from the gym lockers, he quickly darted his head around and jumped, wedging himself between a wall and a vending machine, the machine’s mechanical hum rattling his bones.
In front of him two large meaty jocks walked past, there frames as thick as thugs, faces like hard clay and jaws like cinderblocks. Backslash held his breathe, trying the hide the rattling of his teeth.

Eventually they were gone; the only sound emanating was the vibrant neon jitter of the plastic and metal vending machine buzzing away.
Taking a deep breath the vanilla-maned Colt squeezed himself out of the crevasse, his head spinning from being ratted around from the space between spaces.

“Who the hell are you!” spat a gruff voice as backslash was flung up into the vending machine, his neck being held tight by the thick arm of a large yellow colt, his green lumbering comrade beside him…. just as wholly engorged as the other. Backslash clawed at the jock’s hoof but realised it was too solid to part, the large yellow stallion’s grip was like a mechanic clamp.

“My…*cough* Name is Ba…Backslashhh…I… *cough* would like a moment…of..you..time” gasped the Colt, his throat squished almost completely shut.

“Piss off kid!” barked the yellow stallion, pushing the noticeably smaller colt into the pink plastic glowing machine. His arm as thick as backslash’s entire neck.

“I can make it worth…grrlghg….your while” he again gargled, chalk white teeth grinding against each-other.

Both jocks looked to each-other, the promise of money wetting their appetites.

The colt fell down and smacked hard against the antiseptic white tiles.

“Make it quick or well pound you’re head in” threaten the meat-wall.

“That’s..*cough*..what I wanted too talk to you about” Backslash told them, rubbing his throat as he picked himself up, his attitude become that of a business.

“I..I was hoping to hire the services of you..lovely… gentlecolts for abit of physical activity”.

“Sorry fruitcake but we don’t swing like that” the green colt replied from over the yellow jock’s shoulder.

“No, I mean….I would like to give you compensation for accompanying me as bolstering lackies, Im hoping to deal with a certain colt who…has ruined my courting eligibility with a mare” Backslash again told them in a daringly formal manner.

Again the two colts where unsure of what he was asking them, there English skills at the level of a kindergarten child.

Backslash gave a sigh as he put it down to extremely basic and easy to understand words.

“I want to pay both of you money to help me beat up a kid”.

Suddenly both jocks understood what he meant, their faces going into grim smiles.

“Hmm, how much you gunna pay us if we say yes then” cooed the yellow sports-pony.

“75 bits each” firmly replied the English student.

“Make it 100” haggled the larger yellow jock.

Biting down on his lip Backslash looked beyond the two colts towards the gym entrance, “As I see it there is a large group of other eligible sporting colts just beyond that door I could easily hire”.

“Yeah, but gods know they ain’t gunna be as nice and respectful as we are” cackled the yellow jock, his arm pressed firmly against the wall, blocking any sign of escape.

Backslash nodded to himself as he ran the numbers by in his head.

“I’ll do 85 bits each….but only when the job is done”.

Both Colts again looked greedily between each-other, their necks like thick tree trunks, there hooves like shovel heads.

“Deal” they both replied, spitting in there palms and extending a hoof-shake to the writer, his face twisted in disgust as he slowly lifted out his own hoof, shaking them both with a grisly *Squish*. Suddenly the yellow jock grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him forward.

“You know….boss, where gunna need forward cash-out just too prove you’re not going to skip out on paying us.” He chuckled, directing his attention towards the gold watch on Backslash’s right hoof.

“Are you kidding, this wrist-clock is easily worth 150!”.

“It’s worth shit if you’re not gunna sell it, gimme the watch and you can forget the extra 85 bits, I’ll take this as payment, I’ve always wanted a fancy doodad like that” the yellow colt (the smarter of the two) said, causing the shorter,skinnier whiter colt to remove the wrist-clock and hand it over, a grumble coming from his lips.

The jock applied the valuable bauble to his arm and gave a chuckle to himself.

“so who’s the guy then” the green stallion asked, cracking his thick neck.

“Button Mash, he’s a brown colt with a red mid-split shirt and an ass mark of a grey cross. I want to teach him a lesson for stealing my girl”
“How do we find him?”.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got a plan…” Smiled Backslash. The hum of the vending machine buzzing through the white and blue tiled walkway, florescent lights flickering madly like dying fireflies.

The three colt walked through the exit, malicious intent and revengance on their minds.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“And that’s why Equine Affliction is way better than Parasprite, there music doesn’t rely on screaming every syllable in the entire song” Bones replied, his puke green mane in twists and points, the studs in his lips number in the dozens.

“Bullcrap” said the purple mare with faded yellow hair, “It’s more the other way around, Equine Afflicition bellow like every third line…and at least Para’s guitarist knows when to play a power chord once in a while…and he doesn’t look like a he-Mare”.

Between the two sat large a group of 8 other ponies, their bodies a mix of dank dark clothing and metal piercings, bodies dotted with inked tattoos and leather wristbands. All of them comfortably lounged behind the back of the gym, there looks taboo to the cheery nature of the high school, they were the Goth Ponies.

To the left of black mass sat Scarlet, her face full of far less make-up then she was used to wear.

“Hey Scar, did you catch up on your English, I can’t for the life of me figure out how to conclude my essay” Styx her best friend asked, ghost white hair spilling from her head like ivory water, the tattered text book in her arms full of pink high-lighted notes and annotations.

The Orange mare gave a simple nod and opened her saddlebag, pulling a jumble of papers and books out.

“Here, it’s nothing top grade worthy but I think it’s a decent conclusion to the ideas of the story”.

The pale white mare read through the essay, her bright pink eyes darting back and forth with expert speed.

“It’s alright I guess, gods you use commas everywhere though, its madness girl”.

“Well the story is mostly dialogue, I’d assume there would be a few commas here and there” Scarlet replied, clipping the gold buckles of her saddlebag back together.
Styx rolled her eyes, opened her own tattered text book and coping down what was on the paper.

“Hey Scar, that Button guy you’re going out with”, the orange mares ears immediately perked up. “Is he in the same English class as Mars?”.

“Yeah, but its Standard English so it’s all basic level stuff”.

“Can he write?”.

“Eh, he’s decent, nothing spectacular though”.

“Ohhh”.

…

….

“So Scarlet….If you uh don’t mind me asking, Button doesn’t really seem your type, why are you going out with him” Stylx asked, her eyelashes thick with jet black eyeliner.

The mare was about to casually reply when she stopped and slowly began to think about it, rubbing her chin and carefully contemplating the question.

“I guess because, hmm, well he’s not smart…he’s not talented….he doesn’t have anything much in the way of money…I guess I like him because he’s sweet when he wants to be”.

“c’mon, there’s got to be more than that?” .

“There is…I just dont want to sound…sappy” croaked Scarlet, sinking into the folds of her dark grey scarf.

“Honey, I write stories about romance and intrigue, I think I can handle abit of sap” insisted the pale white horse, her eyes like jewelled pink zircons.

“Fine” Scarlet Thread replied, putting her hooves between her lap, lowing her tone so no one could hear her.

The Orange mare felt extremely awkward talking about lovey dovey subjects.

“Button really doesn’t show it but he can be very sweet and caring sometimes, On Friday when we…you know.

“Fucked” Her friend bluntly replied.

“yeah…well, After he…finished we laid on the couch for hours just talking about stupid stuff. I found out a few things about who he was and what he was into, and turns out. He’s pretty cool.

“Care to explain then” Styx asked.

“well…his older brother taught him how to play guitar” Scarlet said, thinking to herself. “Also he reads a lot of poetry when he’s alone…he can quote word for word the entire script for Monty python and the holy grail”.

Styx still looked unimpressed, her black eye lids hanging low with dis-interest.

Scarlet realised she wasn’t explaining what she meant very well.

“That it” the white gothic mare asked.

“Well….he’s got a rather large dick if that counts” Scarlet commented.

“see that’s a good reason” smiled Styx, clipping up her saddlebag. “wait, how would you know what a colts typical size is, you’ve slept with only him, what’s your point of comparison?” she asked.

“Please, Ive seen you and Bones flaunting each other in our guest bedroom enough to know Button’s packing double what Bones is” Scarlet replied, picking up her own school bag and slinging it over her shoulder.

“Yeah Bonezy aint packing much more than a Crayola, he’s got technique though and that’s what counts….oh by the way, me and him are going to deathspike’s place soon, he’s got a few viles of Green stranger that he bought before his dealer went nuts and shot up that club in Canterlot. Where having a last hurray before they’re all gone, wanna come with?”.

“You know I don’t do anything stronger than weed”.

“yeah yeah miss goody-two-shoes, c’mon bus is gunna show up soon”.

“Alright lets head off” Scarlet replied, the two friends walking to the bus lines, the bell about to ring.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

*BRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG* ran the bell, signalling to the masses that it was time to go the hell home.

Sweetie Belle left Music class, her hair tied back in a ponytail and her arms wrapped around a large bundle of sheet music, annotated notes and text books.

As she walked with the crowd through the emptying walkways she caught up with Applebloom by the lockers.

Both Best friends began to chat casually as they ventured to their bus lines.

“So whatcha’ doin’ when you get home” the yellow mare asked, a pink piece of bubblegum between her teeth.

“Dunno, Probably just play some piano and watch TV” Sweetie replied.

“Well I’ll be picking nothin’ but zap-apples th’seevenin’, Applejack says its punishment”.

“For what” interjected Sweetie belle.

Applebloom was about to reply when she stared sourly at the white mare, her brow furrowing like a detective.
“Sweetie…what went on between you and Button last night?”.

*GULP*

“w-what do you mean” Sweetie belle stuttered, biting down on her tongue, her body almost snap-freezing in place.
Applebloom’s face was stern.

“We’ll we all left to go upstairs, you’s two didn’t…get up to anything did you?”.

Sweetie choked out a quick ‘No!’, beads of transparent sweat forming on the sides of her face.

“hmm…are you sure about that” The yellow mare looked at sweetie belle like she was a lying child, her eyes pressing deep into Sweetie’s face.
“what m-makes you think we did anything?” chirped the white mare, hoping to make it to her bus before this conversation ended with a confession.

“Sweetie….I’m not going to beat round the bush here, the couch has stains on it, the blanket still smells like stank and…”
Sweetie belle’s face was washed white with fear.

“…there’s a half filled condom sitting in our garbage bin, I know because applejack found it….that’s why I’m getting punished” Applebloom finished, her face very coarse and rigid. Sweetie had been found out.

The white mare said nothing.

..

..

“Well, care to explain what went on?”

..

..

“Nope” squeaked the girl.

“Are you sure hun, coz I aint plannin’ on droppin’ this any time soon”.

Sweetie turned her head back and forth making sure no one could listen in on their conversation. She whispered quietly to Applebloom.

“Ok ok you caught me ok…I slept with Button last night, we were drunk, it was an honest mistake can we please just drop it ok” stammered Sweetie, darting her eyes away from her best friend.

Applebloom moved her mouth to the side and made a dis-approving ‘tisk tisk’ sound.”You know he’s got a marefri-“.

“Yes I’m aware he’s going out with Scarlet, like I said we were both drunk…now please can we change the subject” spat the mare, making her friend jump back.

“….did you enjoy it?” confusingly asked Applebloom, cutting Sweetie belle alittle slack.

“wha-…..I dunno I was drunk…and….well……yeah, it was pretty good I guess”.

“this isn’t the first time you and Button have…you know”.

“We did it a few times when we were younger”.

“Any improvement?” Applebloom asked, the raspberry bubble-gum scent stuck in her breathe.

“Marginally” inputted the mare.

“Sweetie I realise this is a loaded gun of a question but…why’d you…sleep with him…or did he ask you?, Button aint much of a horn-dog but hay when drinks are involved who knows”.

“no….it was sort of both of us just going for it at the same time, we started off chatting and all that but then we started just dicking around and joking, We were already half-asleep when” Sweetie belle became fidgety, “We played our little shank game like when we were kids and I fell on him ….. then we….kissed….and hugged…and….then things just felt very hot” .

Appleblooms face was red.

“please don’t tell anyone please please” pleaded Sweetie belled, her eyes wide and begging.

“relax sugarcube relax, I aint gunna tell a soul, with the condom thing I told AJ it was Rumble and Scoots, your safe…for now”.

Sweetie let out a sigh, “thank you ….but, can I ask you something?”.

“sure I am your BFF aint I” The xanthus farm-girl replied.

“cool, uh…ca I message you tonight, I want to talk about…what happened last night…and some other stuff that happened today, I feel really weird bottling it up and I don’t know who to talk to it about”.

“sure thing, I’m playing some TF2 tonight with Scoot and Button, just skype me and we’ll talk k”.

“K".

The two mares walked towards the bus lines, leaving Canterlot high for another day.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“And I said Oatmeal are you crazy” clucked Scarlet thread to Button, is chuckle genuine even though he fully knew how terrible the joke was.
“Ok babe here’s your stop, move your ass up” The orange mare announced, reaching down and lifting up his saddlebag.

“K K, thanks bae” Button Mash replied, giving her a kiss on the lips and lifting himself up, slinging the brown bag over his back.

“Don’t forget” Rumble chimed in, “You’ve got a death match with Scoot tonight, she’s requested you go pyro”.

“Pfft, She knows I only run Sniper on TDM’s, Ill consider it if we do capture the flag” retorted the mocha colt, giving a bro-hoof to his mate.

Button stepped off the platform and onto the dry dirt road, the bus doors creaking as they snapped shut and drove off in a ball of dust.

Button took out his phone and plugged a set of pink headphones inside, turning the volume up to max as he blasted Queen into his ears, walking home at a medium pace, kicking dirt up with each swing of his legs.

The weather was chilly, there was a nasty cold snap breezing down from the north that the pegasi weather squad accidently let loose. It bit at Button’s hind like a small dog, this cold was the type that went deep into the skin and stuck to the bones, sending shivers up anyone’s spine.
Button buttoned up his shirt and rolled down the red sleeves, his coat twitching as the evening sun began to set early.

“Hey Button” called a voice from behind the brown colt.

Turning around Button saw Backslash; his face twisted in a nasty grin as his milk-coloured mane was sleeked back with expensive gel.

“Oh hey Slash, what are you doing in Ponyville, don’t you live in Canterlot?” Button replied, his face though curios still having a dull placid look.
“I’m just here to sort out a little qualm of mine” his face still bore jubilant eeriness, “specifically with you Button Mash”.

The brown colt became confused and off-putted….but by the way Backslash wore himself Button knew he was up to something.

“Why, what did I do”.

“You took Sweetie from me, for years I had been there for her…..trying to finally get her to notice me as more than a friend, I was so fucking close button…so close I could taste it”.

Button didn’t understand him, but he somehow felt Backslash knew about him and sweetie.

“who man, Im sorry if I did anything wrong…”.

“Shut up…because of you I’ll never get to even kiss sweetie again”.

“slash bro I’m sorry, I didn’t know you two were going out I swear”.

“well…not legitimately….but, I was close, I was damn close, I made my move last Friday at the cabaret…but she rejected me…because of you!....Button”.

“Hold on didn’t you sleep with her that night?” Button spat out, the writer’s face going into confusion as it soon became clear to Button that sweetie had lied to him.

“Wha….doesn’t matter, You’ve ruined my chance with her….it’ll take me years to work back up to where I was” Backslash began to crack his wrists in intimidation, clearly showing button that he wanted to fight. Button knew Backslash somewhat; he knew that he was terrible when it came to fighting.

Button shook his head slowly, “Turn away Slash….or I will hurt you”, His hoof unplugging the headphones from his ears.

“You know Button I severely doubt that, unlike you I don’t charge head-first into blind stupidity ….not without a bit of support….Cinderblock, Touchdown!”.

Suddenly Button felt a mammoth fist impact with his face, sending him hurling downwards into the dirt, a heavy leg pushing him deeper and deeper into the ground.

“This the kid you talkin’ about, hah, he’s gotta be the scrawniest shit I’ve ever seen” laughed Touchdown, the large yellow jock. His back hoof grinding deeper and deeper into button’s back, sending unbearable stings up each nerve in his spine.

*Thwack*, Button felt his ribs shatter as another large green Colt ran up and booted him in the chest.

“Whadda fuck mahn!” yelled Button in surprise and agonizing pain, his words a loud babble while his body cried out in torment.

“Shut up!” barked Backslash, stomping his leg down against Buttons head, his white ivory hoof pressing Button’s metal ear stud deep into his own skull.

“AH Fuck off!” cried out the brown colt, his eyes going bloodshot and watery.

Again he received another earth-shattering kick in the ribs, dust shooting up in the cold sky.

“This is for Sweetie Belle” Rumble yelled, lifting his leg and propelling it down against the side of button’s scalp, impacting like a steam-train. “This is for me” he chanted again, repeating the action, Button Mash’s vision going dizzy as he could feel his consciousness fading fast.

Button saw Backslash lift his leg up as high as he could, he knew that the next step would ether knock him out cold or give him major brain damage, maybe both. Button squinted his eyes shut, grinding his teeth as he tensed up for the final blow, his body in ungodly fits of pain from his front and back. ‘Save me’ the mocha colt thought to himself, ‘anyone, please save me!’.

Button waited for the impact….nothing. he still kept his eyes shut as the colt waited for it to happen, but still nothing.

“Thank goddess” Button said to himself opening his eyes and looki….*WHACK!*.

Button went completely limp as Backslash brought all his force down on Buttons Skull, the poor Colts mind going completely black as he was knocked out cold. His body crumbling in the dust and dirt.

Backslash gave a few exhales in anger, staring at the lifeless Colt with distain fit firmly in his eyes. Grunting madly as the beads of sweat dropped from his forehead, his sleeked back prim Mane now split and tattered in loose strands.

“You took her from me….she was mine…..her heart belonged to me, not you” Mumbled Slash, wiping his brow and giving what was left of Button a kick in the gut.

“Hey bro….Never hit a Colt after they’ve passed out, that’s not good sportsmanship” Touch Down interjected. Taking his leg off Button and brushing the dirt from his coat.

“Errr….” Murmured the milky-maned writer. Trying to slide back his mane back but having it split even more in front of his red Safire eyes.
“So…what do you want to do now” Cinderblock asked, staring at the limp body.

“I want to go home and drink my fucking ass off” Backslash replied.

“What about my pay” the green jock reminded. His muscles so large that they almost tore from his skin.

“C’mon we’ll go to my place; I’ll pay you when we get there”.

“Free drinks….hell yeah” Cinderblock cooed, stepping over the casualty.

The lynch mob left Button cold and unconscious on the ground, the cold chilly air circling howling through his bruised body as his brain was a silent blankness.

His mind went into offline mode.

His body began to reboot.

Season 2 Finale: (2/3)

Author's Note

A quick warning, this part gets to a very dark place that some readers may find uncomfortable, reader discretion is advised.

Part 3 of the season finale will be released next Friday.

Season 2 Finale: (2/3)

The large brick-work privileged villa was engorged with thick illuminated amber light, the wails of electric guitar spewing forth from a downstairs cigar-room. Along sat in a leather-back arm-chair Backslash, a large half-empty bottle of AppleJack Whiskey lazily slumped upright in his lap, a red-hot fire burning bright in front of him, captivating his dim senses and engulfing his sad thoughts in a waking wildfire. Beside him sat in two other chairs the muscle-clad colts, there mouth eclipsed with dry beer bottles and salted pretzels, necks beginning to reddened by the radiant heat.

“T..that bitchch…she played with my heart….*burp*…like it was nothin’, like it wuz dirt neath her hooves” Sputtered the cream-coated colt, his hair in teases and split ends, loose spit dribble down his chin along with the sour alcohol.

“Too true bud, she aint worth it man” replied Cinderblock, downing his sixth brown bottle, his words also beginning to slur. Touchdown nodded in reply, twisting his new golden watch around his wrist playfully.

“I l…love her so much and she…does what….goes off and falls for some sh..sh-shithead nerd kid….well to hell with er’, I dant need here no more…*Burp*” Backslash again babbled, his eyes drooping up and down as his head bopped around trying to keep itself up.

“y..you know Slash….this chick you keep talking about….if she’s yours…like you say then just…you know go to her and say ‘woman I’m your man and your my woman’, see what your *cough* lackin’ is confidence in yourself, I fuck bitches all the time….why…because I’m confident, I let them know who’s alpha in the…the food chain” The green colt blathered, running his hoof through his short purple mane.

Backslash’s eye looked to his side as he though, the expression on his face that of sadness.

“I can’t, she doesn’t want me, I’m just not what she want from a stallion….I couldn’t” .

“Shut up, you live in a big ass mansion with a huge pile of cha-ching, your top of your class and you have result scores of 94%, your too good for her man, she should feel fucken grateful to even talk to you”.

“You know…..you know your right, I am too good for her….”.

“Slash, Dad wants you to turn down the radio, he’s trying to write up some documents” spoke in a little mare, around thirteen with a light blue coat and white slick hair.

“Shut it Bluejeans, can’t you see I’m *burp* wallowing in my s..sorrow” The colt replied to his little sister. Swing his arm at her in a signal for her to leave.

“But Dad said”.

“Fuck off”.

The small girl stepped out of the three boy’s sight.

They continued to sluggishly chat, their breath sour with indulgent alcohol and eyes dulled with fatigue, the roaring hearth-fire sending sweat beads down Backslash’s neck.

The two jocks whirled there brown fermented drinks around in there equally shit-brown bottles. There presents little comfort to the white Colt.

“….I want her” Backslash whispered to himself, staring deep and longingly into the bursting embers.

“Fuck it then, let’s go ask her to take you back then” Cinderblock spat out, saliva dripping from the side of his lips.

“What?” quickly replied the white writhing writer.

“let’s rock up to her place and you can confront her like a real stallion and demand she take you back”.

“I don’t know ma..”.

“Do you want her”.

“yes”.

“Then go take her”.

Biting his bottom lip the young colt contemplated it, his drunken thoughts washing his brain with suds. ‘I just want to love her so much…so fucking much’ Backslash said to himself without a single word, he deserved her he knew he did, he was going to have her….he demanded he have her.

Boggishly pulling himself up and falling onto four legs Backslash with the company of the two meat-walls slumped towards the front door, grabbing his coach-keys of the mantle and heading towards the garage.

Blue-jeans stayed glued to the wall, listening to their drunken babble, she felt terrified for her brother, knowing he was going to make a horrible mistake. She Ran out the door and tried to stop him but it was no use, just as she made it to the drive-way the three colts ripped down the brick-work entrance and tore through the roads towards Ponyville, there sleek black coach stumbling side to side at blistering speeds.

“No” she said to herself, thinking fast she ran back inside and grabbed her phone, unlocking it and heading straight to contacts.
As she run BackSlash’s phone began vibrate on the mantle.

*Sigh*

Bluejeans came up with another idea, she moved from ‘B’ in contacts to ‘T’.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Karen Mash stood in the kitchen, her body arched over a red-wood counter-top, a pile of carrots, onions, pumpkins and potatoes to her left, diced up vegetables to her right. The sun had begun to lazily drift just below the mountain tops to the west with its large luminous mass turning the sky into a mixed milkshake of pinks and purples all swirling around the orange horizon like a celestial waltz.

Karen swung herself towards the oven, boiling hot-pots of steaming food bubbling around inside the metal cases, spewing forth vaporous steam and spitting hot wetness from the sides. With a flick of her wrist she switched off the electrical oven and settled the bubbling rage within the pots, revealing steamy broccoli bushes and four logs of corn on the cob.

*heh* Exhaled Karen, her hair tied in a bun and beads of sweat on the ridges of her brow. Her faded yellow fur in wet tiffs from the steam.
“Done” she said to herself, sliding her hoof along the table and pushing all the diced up food into a plastic yellow bowl and placing it on the dining room table, returning to the kitchen and doing the same with a second bowl.

*SLAM!* went the front door, a brown blur ascending up the staircase in an un-detourable dash.

“Button your home a bit late” Karen asked, leeching the water out of the hot-pots into the sink, her eyes confused at his brash entrance.
There was no reply.

“Do you want dinner now honey?” she again called out to the boy.

“……No thanks mom” Button said back, his voice sounding broken and torn. “Um, I’ve just got to *cough* hope on steam first, Scoot and AJ want me to play with them”.

“That’s nice of them…so baby, why are you home late?” she retorted, catching on to something strange about the colt’s attitude.

“I uh, went to Sugar-cube corner for a snack. I guess I was gone a while”.

“Your 3 hours late, its almost 7 PM”.

“Oh uh sorry….I’ll come down later, just g..give me some time to…yeah”.

“Button don’t try to trick me, I’ve seen it all before, come down here and tell me what happened” she announced, somehow already knowing what his appearance was going to be.

Slowly the mocha a colt hobbled into the mare’s view. Her face falling down and giving a weak exhale at her son.

“Oh honey what happened” she asked him, his body bruised and bloody, a dry blood-patch on the side of his head, his mane caked in dust and rocks.

“It doesn’t matter” Button mash replied, staring down at his hooves.

“Did you get into a fight?” Karen questioned.

The colt didn’t reply, all he gave was a shrug as he seemed to sink deeper and deeper into the floor boards.

…

“I…was….jumped at the bus stop”.

“What?”.

“there were three colts…They just sorta came out of nowhere”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Button who did this to you!” she boomed, her eyes furious and concerned at the same time.

The colt stepped forward, his face pleading with her.

“Mom please don’t do anything, just leave it it’s over now, please”.

“Button Mash” she retorted mouthing it out slowly, her posture intimidating and powerful.

“Who did this to you”.

“It…was Backslash, a kid from my school”.woefully answered the boy.

“Is there a reason for why he felt it necessary to tear up the side of your head into a bloody mess?”.

Button rubbed his head, red flakes of dry blood falling from his temple.

“….He was jealous….”.

“why was he jealous?”.

“He thought …I was…that I…Stole Sweetie Belle from him”.

“Button baby I don’t care what what the reason was with Sweetie but tell me where this Backslash person lives, Ill sort him out real quick”.

“Mom” weakly replied button.

She began to become more angered , “If he thinks he can just attack my children and get away with it he’s got another thing coming”.
“Mom” again replied Button, his tone become more pleading.

“Like what sicko thinks he can just gang up on a pony in the middle of the road and start”.

“MOM!” barked Button, stopping his hoof down against the wooden floor, sending small shards up into the air and leaving a chipped mark in the ground. Karen stopped mid-sentence and looked at her battered son, his face red and agitated.

“It’s over, he got what he wanted, I don’t want anyone to do anything, just leave it alone, please it’s over.

“If you don’t do anything about it then he’ll think he can just get away with it!” Karen replied, her tone lowered but still burning with maternal anger.

“If he tries it again Il tear his fucking Heart out, he got the drop on me is all, he got the closure he wanted, just forget about this and let this end” Finished Button, his head aching as thumps throbbed in his head like a jack-hammer.

“Ok…” confided the old girl, “if you think it’s over then we’ll just forget about it…won’t do any good but well forget about it none the less *sigh* …do you want dinner now or?....”.

“Later please mom, I’ve got to go do something first ok.

trotting off Button headed back up the wooden stairs, leaving his mother to eat dinner along tonight.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

He loaded up Steam, the familiar blue and grey interface greeted him, ignoring the sales he headed to his library and Clicked on Team Fortress 2.

Button then opened his Skype and plugged in his Microphone. Searching his contacts and finding Scootaloo. He messaged her asking for a group invite, she responded with a ‘K fag’ and added him to the call.

“Hey Button what’s up, you’re like an hour late you know” The mare asked him, her voice distorted by the cheap $10 mic she was using.
“Sorry, I uh….feel asleep for a bit, anyway invite me to game, where still running team death match right?”.

“Kk, our current match is almost over anyway, Applebloom’s just gone to the toilet so when she gets back we’ll start a new game”.

“Cool beans, Ill *cough* wait a bit…..so how’s your day been?” Button asked, a large aching pain rolling up his body and resting at his head is temple still stained with dry blood and dirt.

The orange mare retold her day to Button, her voice scratchy and twisted by the microphone.

…

“And I asked her what size she’d like them in and she wouldn’t for the life or it give me a straight answer, like woman just say ‘large’, I don’t care what’s your frigging waist line is just tell me what your size is and I can give you what you want”.

“Did she end up telling you?”.

“I had to force it out of her, worst part though was that ten minutes later my area manager came up to me and said a customer filed a complaint on me, like what the fuck dude, that chick wrote down that I was rude and inconsiderate”.

“That’s gotta suck”.

“Hey Guys” Jumped in Applebloom, the sound of crunching pop-corn in her mouth.

“Gosh girl how long did it take you to take a piss” Scootaloo argued, “you said you’d be a minute”.

“Sorry, I wanted to catch the last ten minutes of Game of thrones” hastily replied Applebloom, the sound of Applejack and Big Mac talking I the background.

“Well let’s do this” Scootaloo asserted, sending a game invite to Button and starting a Sniper only free for all.

Button Mash immediately started getting quick-scope headshot on both the mares, their skills admirable but no-where near the godly levels that Button had refined.

“Fucking hell Mash, give me a change” Applebloom argued, the colt chuckling somewhat painfully as his ribs twisted and ached.

*bop bobop ba bop bop* went skype as someone new joined the chat, an avatar picture of a kitten sleeping inside a saxophone.

“Hey all” announced Sweetie Belle, signing herself into steam, the sound of PoisonJoke bouncing around the walls of her bedroom.

“Hey girl, you finally made it….bit late though” Applebloom replied, sending her an invite to the private match.

“Sorry, I was talking to feather-weight for a while on my phone till it died a few minutes ago, then I remember I needed to wipe button ass at TF2 tonight” she retorted, enjoying the quick reply that the brown colt gave her.

“Good luck hot stuff, when it comes to PC-based Multiplayer FPS matches reign supreme”.

“Puts your money where your mouth is Button, Scoot, I’m loaded up….let’s start the slaughter” the white mare announced.

The white mare joined the private match, Red canyon, the announcers voice counting down till the incoming blood bath.

Sweetie knew games; years ago Button when they were dating taught her how to play them furiously, ever since then her skill-level secretly increased to maximum MLG pro-ness.

She was going to demolish her friends.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Suck it Mash” Sweetie boomed, downing Button’s character from across the map, the sound of his hoof hitting the desk from beyond the microphone.

“Oh Come on!” squawked the mocha brown gamer, spitting at the screen in frustration.

“grow some ovaries and mare the fuck up” Sweetie replied in a chuckling tone, her skill level too powerful for Button to handle, his perfect KDR now being blitzed by the white mare.

Higher and higher her kill score went, surpassing both the girls and becoming neck and Neck with Button, one last kill to end the match.

“I’m going to plough your ass into the dirt Butt Mash” coxed Sweetie, her character hunting down the boy as the two mares hid themselves in the far corner of the map, a showdown between the two would be inevitable, Button as if I’m survival mode crept his sniper along the walls, his itchy trigger hoof seizing up and fire three blank shots in fear, Sweetie had him by the balls, but he was not one to go down without a fight.
“Dum dum….dum dum…do do do do” The white mare started to tease him more by singing the jaws theme,, Button said nothing he was as cool as a cucumber.

“GOT YA!” he screamed firing his weapon at her exposed avatar, bullets pelting the wall behind her, Button madly laughing as he ran after her, she returned fire with a barrage of blistering sniper-fire, ricochet shot’s bouncing off the ground and red steel walls. Both of them threw there piss jar’s, Sweetie’s missing by an inch but Button’s landing a direct hit on her.

She was at half-heath.

Quickly the two began sprinting in a different direction, hoping to get the drop on the other, Button wildly grinded his teeth together, and Sweetie’s eyes bulging angrily from her head with a blistering red.

“I never loose woman, never, How can you beat me at a game that I taught you to play, when I’m threw with you they’re going to have to start calling you Bleedie Hell.” Jested the brown colt, his face mere millimetres away from the white light of the computer screen.

“Haha, I’m about to lay the smack down on you son, you may have been my sensei but now I’m about to school you hard in videogames” she returned, twisting her neck and purposely giving a loud neck crack over her Microphone.

Button ran as faster as he could towards her position, his gun at the ready, sweetie did the exact same, sprinting s fast as she could to get the drop on him. Both bolted to the other as fast as they could, blooding pumping threw her veins like jet fuel, their eyes screaming at them to blink but to no avail, this match would prove who was the greater warrior, the shaggy brown gamer or the purple pony-tailed singer.

Both ran and ran and…ran right past each other, both characters shot past the other like a red and blue blur. They both stopped immediately and swung themselves around with the flick of their mouses, time freezing solid as both of them fired at the same time.

*BANG!*

The sniper’s head exploded in a ball of gratuities red blood and fell limply to the floor; it was the sniper that belonged to Button Ashley Mash.
As if loud orchestral victory music was playing Sweetie shot up out of her chair screaming in victorious grandeur, Scootaloo and Applebloom chuckling and cheering over the skype call, Button as if in slow motion fell to his knees, his brain unable to comprehend losing to someone at a videogame.

“Suck it, suck it, suck it!” yelled Sweetie Belle in happiness, hearing button’s silence and declaring herself Queen shit of fuck mountain.
“I…but I….c’mon that was…..hax! I call hax!, I was lagging!” sputtered the brown Colt…but his words fell on deaf ears, the three girls chanted and chattered between each-other.

“Ok..Ok..We’ll be the grown-ups here and let you like your wounds Mash” Scootaloo coaxed, exiting the game and closing steam. “hey who’s up for some Minecraft, I know a RP server we can join and flirt with the other players”.

“Sound cool to me beats watching TV with Mac and Jack, but I actually really do need to go to the toilet for real this time” Applebloom replied, logging herself out.

“Haha, I’m totally up for some Minecraft but if were taking a brake then I’m gunna head to the shops and grab some snacks, totally Craving for some Reese’s pieces right now” Sweetie told them, everyone getting up and going to grab a snack break, Button heading down-stairs and apologizing to Karen.

…

..

.

10 minutes later.

..

.

Scootaloo and Button were the only ones left talking in the call.

“Rumble wants to take out a loan so we can moved from his crap-hole single-room home to maybe like a high-end house 3 bedroom cottage near the old town hall, we’ve been looking at places and we’ve found a decent one to rent in-town that’s only around 215 per week for a 2 bedroom apartment” explained Scoot, Button agreeing as he shovelled skittles into his mouth, the rainbow taste dripping from his teeth.

“But if were looking to the cottage then me and him are gunna have to work our asses off for the next ten months”.

“Speaking of that how is his carpentry business going anyway” the colt asked.

The sound of hooves running down a hallway came from one of the idle mics.

“Pretty good, he gets great work as a roofer”.

Suddenly Applebloom threw herself onto the microphone, her breath in a sputter as she tried to interject towards the two, her tone scratchy and stressed.

“Sweetie are you there!, guys is Sweetie belle back!” she hollered, her voice in a terrified tone.

“No why, what’s the problem” Scootaloo replied.

“Diamond Tiara called me just then *gasp* she…she said that Backslash’s sister called her and said that him and two other guys were going to confront sweetie about something, apparently he’s drunk off his ass and stark raving mad” Applebloom explained, an ecstasy of Fumbling as both ponies grabbed their phones and tried to call her immediately, it was no use, her cell-phone was dead.

“What’s Rarity’s number!” Button called out.

“I dunno we always just use Sweetie’s Number!” replied Scootaloo.

“Button you live the closest go make sure she’s safe, I don’t want that creep anywhere near her!” the yellow mare ordered, Button agreeing as he jump up and was about to bolt out the door.

“I’ll wake up and Rumble and get him to meet up with you at Sweetie’s place.

With that the brown colt zoomed down the stairs and out the house, galloping as fast as he could down the dirt road towards town, the frozen winds at his back and the sharp pains still aching in his chest, he didn’t care, he kept running like a bat out of hell.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Have a nice night” replied the saddle-Arabian cashier worker. The young mare stepping out of the bright grey florescent lights and colourful plastic adverts into the cold pitch black of the night air.

*Ting*

Sweetie belle left the store, a plastic bag of chocolate and soda hanging in her mouth, the night brought with it an icy wind at seemed to tear coldly at the skin, even with the warmth of her clean white coat she could still feel the chilled breeze latching on her body.

*brrrrrr* she said to herself standing under the light of a luminous street-lamp. Tiny hazel moths fluttering about under the lamp’s florescent touch. Sweetie ruffled her fur and rubbed her arms against her knees, she needed to get back home or risk losing out on Minecraft with her friends.

Owls began to hoot from the rooftops of distant houses with the screech of fruit bats. The lonesome emerald leaves of far-off trees glided through the air and past old cold stone cobbled roads, the town seemed to have given up the ghost, everypony was indoors, there candles burning dimly through there murky glass windows and toasty fires warming there icy bones. Sweetie belle envied them; she needed to get home fast.

Tightening her jaw she began trotting at a brisk pace, she wasn’t afraid of Ponyville, the town was as safe as safe could be, crime of any sort was little to none here, most of the urban destruction seemed to come from the various escapades of the mane 6.

More and more the night became eerie, the wind seemed to bring with it the dead silence and cold breezes that whistles softly threw the near-by trees.

Sweetie Belle’s fur began to stand on end as she walked into the park, the wooden bridges creaking and stone statues crying with the wet tears of moist moss, the white mare could feel on the tips of her ears the cool water droplets of rain, a fine light pepper but still enough to carry a small icy bite.

She could hear murmurs from beyond the park’s shrubbery, a drug trade or gang of marauding teenagers it seemed to be. She quickly picked up the pace, through the dim hanging leaves of solemn willows she could see the bright amber lights of the carousel boutique, it only made her more eager to get into the warm house and hope online with her friends, the bright colourful world of minecraft kept her spirits high as she made her final stretch through the park grounds.

Almost sprinting she headed threw the old stone towards her house, inside a green grip of duck leaves reached out for her like pleading airs, brushing against her soft white coat and drenching her body in cold dew. She keep running, being pelted with the flora like whips, soaking her fur, leaving red marks against her arms and flanks.

Closer and closer she could see the boutique, she kept running till *whack!*.

Her eyes went blurred as it became flooded with dew of a final pleading branch, latching a green hand against her face and covering her face in water.

She tried to slow down when she collided with something….with someone, the smell of expensive whiskey in their breath.

Jumping back sweetie Belle wiped her face and saw who it was, Backslash, his image a stark difference to what it usually was, instead of the posh clean look he so often adored it was now a shaggy mess of mane and stained fur.

“Backslash…wh..what are you doing here in P..ponyville” she stuttered, giving an exhale as he felt somewhat safe, Backslash was a friend to her, not an enemy….and certainly no threat.

She began shaking.

Sweetie was terrified, not of Backslash but of the two monolithic shadows he carried behind him, there arms thick and bulging with engorged muscle. Their eyes had a solemn dimness to them like after a drunkard’s binge, when all the bright sparkle had drained them and leaving two plastic white bulbs with black pupils, alcohol draining there common sense.

“Sweetie, can….can I talk to you” Backslash asked, his hair tattered and oily, his breath a horrid stench.

“Uh sure….who…who are your friends”.

“Oh uh….yeah this is uh, well the yellow one is Touchdown” he gestured, the muscled stallion giving a lazy wave, Sweetie belle noticed he was wearing Backslash’s gold wrist-watch.

“And this is Cinderblock”, the green colt as if a puppet mimic the same movement as the yellow colt, his left ear split almost completely in half, an injury from some long past sports accident for sure.

“Hello…Gentlemen” stuttered Sweetie, very intimidated by the two jocks large frames.

“Sweetie….I want to talk to you” Backslash asked, his speech slurred and guttered but heart thumping harshly.

The young mare nodded hesitantly in reply.

The young stallion stepped forward, somewhat in a hobble, with his right hoof he sleeked make his mane, clearing his throat.

“I want to tell you that…I’ve known you since you started freshman year, I’ve always tried to be a good fried to you an..and that I’ve watched you grow into a fantastic beautiful woman, I want you to know that I …I really like you Sweetie Belle, I’m sorry for all my mishaps and *cough*…anything I may have done to you that you weren’t OK with” The white colt looked to her with his ruby red eyes scanning her face for any reply, he couldn’t tell if she was scared or happy.

“I want you to know that I’d reply like to get to know you better….as a marefriend. Could you please take me on as a soul-mate maybe?” Backslash asked, a small weak smile emerging on his face as he put his heart out to her.

Sweetie belle looked as if she had become frozen solid, her face still and eyes unblinking, the girl seemed to be pondering something, unsure of how to verbally get it out. The white stallion stood patiently, his face hanging composure on by a thread.

Sweetie finally spoke, her warm breathe fading away in the cold night air.

“Slash….I…you know I see you as one of my best friends, you’ve been there for me through some real tough times in my life and I thank you for every moment we’ve ever spent together, But, I see you as someone different to how you see me, I’m sorry but your just more of a brother to me than a lover, It’s nothing against you but I really just don’t want to get into anything serious right now”.

The Colt went deathly silent.

Backslash looked at her, his heart seemingly thrown on a platter and cut deep with a silver steel knife. His breathe slowly becoming small gasps of air.

“It’s because of Button Mash isn’t it?”.

“No no, its just I’m not looking to get into-“ Sweetie was cut off by the increasingly louder Drunk stallion.

“It is isn’t it, Sweetie you know he’ll never love you like I can, he’s a mentally ill Nerd with no friends, I’m not, I can make your life fantastic you know, he can’t, he’s got nothing, he’s a fuck-head with no future” Backslash ranted, his speech loosing al its charm and now becoming gurgled words.

“Please leave him out of this, he’s got nothing to do with this” she retorted.

“….”.

“You….”.

“You slept with him”

“What?!” The white mare shot back.

“It’s true isn’t it, I knew if you went to that party you’d inevitably wind up with him, what..how’d he do It eh, did he get you completely shit-faced then do it…or did you just take him to some vacant bedroom and fuck him while you were on your hooves and knees”.

“Backslash I swear I didn’t do any-“.

“Don’t fucking lie to me, don’t stand there and tell me you didn’t because you did, you fucking did, you loved it didn’t you, Fucked him just like when you were a filly am I right, Back when you barely understood what a dick was” Barked the boy, his mane now tussled and twisted in split ends and loose knots.

“You’re scaring me” Sweetie belle squeaked, stepping back as the faces of the colt’s soon became twisted and hazy.

“What does he have that I get, I bet if anyone showed you a bit of attention you’d let them have their time with you”, He stepped forward, almost tripping over himself, the two colts still at his back, like giant devil wings protruding from over his shoulders.

Sweetie Belle couldn’t take it any more, she could see the carousel boutique in the distant, she wanted to leave now, she was utterly terrified.
Dropping the plastic she threw herself towards the light of home, trying to run.

*crash* Backslash wrapped his arms around her waist like a snake and tackled her to the ground, dragging both there pristine coats through the frozen dirt and cold grass.

Sweetie tried to scratch her way out of his grip, stabbing her white ivory hooves into the wet mud and kicking as hard as she could. The two Jocks came over and blocked her escape, becoming like menacing walls of meat.

“Just fucking talk tah me” boomed Backslash, pulling her up by her neck onto four legs, a small scream escaping her mouth, as he let her go she swung her arm around and punch him hard in the lip, a spurt of scarlet red blood spitting out and landing on the blades of grass on the vacant field.

Backslash’s solemn face twisted into a red ball of bloodied anger.

Sweetie quickly tried to reply as he wiped the red blood across his hoof.

“I want to go ho” *Whack!*.

He hit her back, flinging her to the ground.

“I’ll make you fucking love me” he growled like a dog, his lips wet with spit and gin.

With both his arms he pinned her down, the girl sending out a cacophony of squeals and kicks, both the two jocks held her down with swollen muscle-bound arms and a demons gaze.

They spread her legs as Backslash positions himself and forced his hoof over her mouth.

Her eyes madly darting around as she tried to scream. Her-own heart thumping like a jack hammer, the fear so real you could cut it with a knife.

“When I’m finished you’ll be begging to take me back”.

She could smell the putrid odour from his member, a horrid stench of sweaty unwashed privates.

He pushed his arms down on her shoulders pinning her to the ground. The cold winds still howling in her ears.

She snapped her eyes shut, her body shaking and twisting in fear as the colt held her against the colt grass.

The night around her seemed to go dead silent, not a single noise could be heard in her ears, she was shutting herself off, hoping to reseed to the blackness of her mind…but she couldn’t, this colt was still over her… his hips angled in line with hers, about to destroy her life.

..

.

*Whack!*

Season 2 Finale: (3/3)

Author's Note

Well I'm taking a well deserved break for a while, so I hope what I've left you can sustain your hungry brains for a duration of time.
I quick memo, I'd like to commemorate this chapter to the late 93 year old Thespian actor Sir Christopher Lee who has been a huge impact on me and my love of film and poetry, the world is truly a smaller place without you.

In regards to music within this chapter.
Sweetie's duet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEprNGh3FRo
Button's song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puaklcVKU3U

Season 2 Finale: (3/3)

Silence

…

..

.

*WHACK!*

Sweetie felt Backslash fly off her, his body tumbling across the grass and ending with a limp thud. She shot open her eyes and saw Button and Rumble above her, both their arms propelling through the air into the two jocks, they’re meaty frames falling flat onto the ground. Sweetie pulled herself up, her body still violently shaking, the jocks now fully aware of who was hitting them stood themselves up and drove themselves into the two smaller Colts, Huge arms pulling both Button and Rumble high into the air, neither of the two gave up, Rumble using all his might flew his hoof deep into the chin of the large golden Colt, four of his teeth flying across the night-time air like tiny pearls. Button on the other hand didn’t rely on brute force, he keep twisting around the large green stallion and hitting him on the more vulnerable spots, clipping the jock in the muzzle as he shook his head with mad fits. Sweetie backed herself up against the stone tunnel wall, her breathing feeling raspy and shallow, she peered out and saw the carnage. Rumble Pak and Button Mash fought like dancers, dodging, rolling and skirting the walls of matted thick hides. Gaining a few wild head shots before a stray punch would throw them to the ground, repeating there cycle over again.

Backslash still remained limp on the ground; Button had kicked him in the head with all the force he had, destroying any consciousness that the drunken colt had. His mane was a mix of oily tangles and mud.

*WHACK!*

*WHACK!*

*WHACK!*

The battle between the four was almost over, every one of them looking like tattered bloody pastels. The jocks couldn’t seem to see anymore, they’re eyes and brows where so badly beaten that they were madly swinging their arms in the direction of the small colts winded coughs. Both Rumble and Button had also sustained maximum damage, their faces ran wet with scarlet blood that glimmered in the pale moonlight, there groaning faces that of grizzled soldiers beaten and broken.

With a final hit Button swung his arm up and hit dead-center the chin of the Touchdown. His hulking mass plummeting to the ground and shattering against the dirt and grass.

There was little room for respite as the second of the two meat-heads rammed his head into Button’s stomach, flinging him upwards and landing harshly against the ground.

Rumble thinking creatively flew himself upwards and using all the strength in his wings; brought a propelled kick deep into the neck of the Green Stallion, the force reverberating up his cyan coat and stunning Rumble Pak in his place.

“NO!” violently gasped sweetie, the jock picking himself back up and charging at rumble with a mad blood-rage. Rumble quickly tried to fly himself into the air but was caught on the right leg by Cinderblock; his engorged arms swinging Rumble down like an axe and grinding him into the dirt, sending shards of grass and gravel into his body.

The Jock stood still, catching his breath, his face a purple wreck of what it used to be, he smiled grimly to himself as he twisted the Cyan Pegasus onto his back and grabbed him by the neck, jamming his large leg deep into Rumbles gut, crushing his ribs.

“AHHHR” Chocked the blue colt, his eyes red and blood-shot.

The jock raised his titanic arm up and jerked Rumble’s head so he could clearly see that the next hit would take every tooth out of the young stallion’s head.

“NO!”.

Like a blur Button threw himself into the Green colt, his head colliding into the jaw of the meat-wall and sending the two barrelling to the side, Rumble Pak collapsing against the ground and breathing heavily gasps for air.
..

..

The grassy plot now went silent in the dark moonlight cept for the shrill gasps of air from every Colt and mare upon that ground.

Sweetie looked at the wreckage on the battlefield; Stallions littered the field in crumpled balls of blood, there arms and legs spread out like disarmed weapons, there signs of life the gurgling from their throats.

“G…guys” sweetie Belle started, stepping out when she realized there was no-one left to attack, her tender frame still shaking and shivering profusely.

“*cough*.. *cough* Here!....Here I am” Sputtered Button, painfully lifting his head up and rolling onto his back, the bruises on his body the size of dinner plates.

Sweetie ran over to him and grabbed his hoof, she wanted to lift him but quickly stopped before moving him, she remembered something important from her health class.

“Ok…Button, don’t move” She told him, scanning up and down his body for any signs of broken limbs or open wounds.

Button gave another bloody cough.

The white mare put her other hoof over Button’s forehead, wiping the muddy blood-tinged hair from out his eyes, assessing the facia damage.
Apart from a split eyebrow and few grazes Button’s face apart from older bruises was in good shape.

Sweetie looked at him lying on the ground, his body a wreckage of beaten flesh. His hoof still felt soft and warm under hers.

“I'm still here” groaned Rumble raising his arm up from behind them and waving it around to remind her that he still needed attention too.

Sweetie preformed the same procedure on Rumble, his face not as lucky as Buttons. The winged Colts left eye was swollen and purple while his forehead was dripping blood, two of his teeth were chipped and his bottom lip was split.

“Does anything hurt?” Sweetie belle asked, getting a ‘what do you think’ look from Rumble.

“I think I can get up” he grunted squinting in pain as he lifted himself onto his rump, the bruised splotches on his body making him look like a beaten dog.

The mare put a hoof on Rumble’s shoulder.

“Thank you…so much” she stuttered, the jittery tone in her voice reminding her how dangerously close to shock she was.
The cyan stallion told her it was nothing, gripping at his side.

“errrrghhhh” groaned the colt to the far side, his body dragging itself across the jade grass in a limp forward direction; it was Backslash, his crippled frame trying to flee.

Button as if smelling prey lifted himself up, cracks and pops coming from his joints like old rusted machinery. He hobbled towards the white colt who still kept crawling away, trying to speed up his pace.

“Ahh!” spat BackSlash as Button gripped him around the back of the neck and lifted him up with foreign strength. The brown Stallion threw him into the cold red bricks of the tunnel, pinning him to it with his face towards Button’s, cowering in fear.

“Please I didn’t mean it I wasn’t thinking, Please Button ple *Whack!*” pleaded Backslash, his gut soon being filled with Button Mash’s fist, knocking the air out of him.

“I’m sorr *whack*” he cried out again, receiving another punch. Blow by blow Button slowly laid into the colt, grinding him deep into the granite wall, his body dangling loosely in Button’s iron grip.

*whack*

*whack*

*Whack*

“Button stop, please” Sweetie belle pleaded, not wanting to see this go on any longer. With that Button mash released the colt, his body falling down and crumbling at his feet, short shallow breathe leaking from his lungs.

Button turned around and slowly limped back towards his friend, falling down at their side and resting on his side. The steam long gone from his body.

The three sat in the field, respect and love between them.

“Sweetie are you Ok” Button asked, placing his hoof on her arm causing her to jump in fear, her white coat shuttering and shivering, her emerald eyes strained and scared.

“I!....I’m fine…I’m fine” she replied, calming herself down, Button and Rumbles eyes shot full of concern.

She took a deep breath as she coldly folded both her arms around herself, rubbing her fur in false comfort.

..

..

“Tha….thank you…so much…..both of you…..you saved me from” she began to sniffle.

“….t..that” Sweetie finished shutting her eyes and tearing up as she began to whimper uncontrollably, the realisation of her ordeal finally hitting her.

Rumble gave Button a nod.

With both his arms the mocha colt slowly wrapped his arms around her, the touch causing her again to jump skittishly but settle as she felt the warmth from it, she buried her head into Button’s neck.

“C’mon let’s get you home” urged Button, lifting Sweetie and himself to their feet. Button could feel his body stinging from each tiny movement, he tried to hid it, so did Rumble. The three looked at the large colts strewn out across the ground, their heads knocked out cold, Backslash too weak to even crawl away from the wall he was slung up against.

Button and Rumble escorted Sweetie home to the caracole boutique, her shaking slowly fading away with the shock.

As they stopped by the door she told them to listen, explaining that she didn’t want Rarity to know what happened tonight. They reluctantly agreed, saying their goodbyes and making she was OK.

“I still say we go to the guard” urged Rumble, his body covered in grass stains and dry blood. “We need to let them know about…about what backslash did…’Tried’ to do”.

“I just…don’t want to talk about it, can we please just not talk about it, I want to forget about…about it” Sweetie belle pleaded, pushing herself into the side of the door, her voice almost becoming frantic to the two colts.

“We can’t let this go Sweetie, he just fucking tried to…sweet Celestia just please come on, we’ll go to the guard station and get this all over with tonight” Protested the winged pegasi, looking to Button as if hoping for him to agree, the brown colt simply pushed his hoof between his nose-bridge and looked as if he was thinking.

Truthfully Button was terrified to go back to the police station; the though sending painful twists up his guts.

Sweetie Belle just simply shook her head defiantly, her voice in tiny wisps. “No, I don’t want to talk about it, no “.

Button opened his mouth.

“Sweetie, I think you should tell someone, at least tell Rarity”.

She looked at him, his face pointed at his feet.

“Button you can’t tell anyone, not Scarlet not your mother not anyone, I don’t, I can’t…just both of you please keep this between us”
“I don’t think you understand what just happened Sweetie” Rumble Pak argued.

“No I do, I fully understand that Backslash just tried to fucking rape me….I understand you too stopped him…I owe both of you more than I could ever possibly imagine, But I will not be whispered about as the mare who almost got raped by the head student in English, so please for the love of sweet fucking Celestia don’t let this leave us….please”.

Suddenly there was a heaving sound behind Sweetie as the purple wooden door opened wide, standing there in front of the three teenagers was Rarity, her face twisted in anger; she had been listening the whole time.

“Where is he” Rarity barked.

The three ponies froze solid, their faces dumbstruck at the order.

“Where is he!” she retorted, staring at them with fiery yet compassionate eyes.

Rumble as if in a terrified trance point far off to the park entrance, the three unconscious colts still just in vision. Rarity’s gaze shot like a hawk at the crumpled wreck of a pony at the wall.

Moving forward the white mare wrapped her arms around Sweetie belle and kissed her on the forehead asking her if she was alright, Sweetie drearily nodded and sunk her head down, and realising what would come next.

“Sweetie get in the house please I’ll be back soon, Boys, Button…Rumble….thank you so much, if you need band-aids, antiseptic or bandages there’s a medical box in the bathroom upstairs, you can call your parents if you need a lift home, again thank you for protecting my little sister”. With that Rarity charged forward at a powerful march, her conviction flaring by her sides. Sweetie Belle Rumble Pak and Button Mash watched as she walked across the dreary green park and grabbed Backslash by his neck, telekinetically lifting him by his scruff and lifting him into the air, his lights all knocked out of him. Rarity storm towards the Guard station with him dragging behind, legs trailing through the dirt.
Small sobs came from Sweetie, her body ghostly and sad, faded purple strands of hair sunk down past her face.

Button again put an arm around her and cushioned her in his chest, not feeling so awkward about it this time. She told them about how she knew that the police would show up soon and ask her to give statements and evidence. Rumble and Button both knew they too would be approached for questions about what happened, they decided they’d wait with Sweetie for them to show up. The three went in the house, its warm atmosphere comforting them as they stepped out of the black cold and the pale moonlight.

“Uh Sweetie” Rumble asked, looking at both her and Button mash.

The white mare replied with ‘yes?’, her hooves insipidly overlapping each-other.

“We can’t clean up, not till after the guard show up…its….evidence you know” he told both of them, making Sweetie belle grind her teeth as she felt worse, being told she couldn’t even wash her face. They sat down on the customer lounge chairs, the soft purple imitation velvet relaxing Button’s aching body.

A silence soon fell upon them as they waited, and waited, brief comments being made but no real conversation springing up., it was a screeching awkwardness.

…

…

…

Button got up, the image of an incessant clock ticking in his head that sent his mind into a slow gruelling grate.

Rumble quickly shot a comment, “what are you doing, you ca-“ .

“Relax, I’m just stretching my legs” the brown stallion interjected, hobbling around the home business, the tall roof to high up for Button to see. He roamed around the house-hold waiting for a knock at the door, around him sat wooden shelves engorged with fabric, wools and other flowery textiles. The smaller rooms where packed to the brim with crafting materials and stuffed white manikins. The whole first floor reminded Button of Scarlet’s work room multiplied a thousand fold.

Rumble soon met up with Button, his hobbling far more lop-sided than the mocha colt’s, most of his lefts side in bloody spats of indented gravel rocks, nothing too nasty but to Button it looked like he had been at the wrong end of a machine gun.

Sweetie was still sitting on the spongey lounge-chair in the waiting area, her head between both her hooves as she whispered almost silently to herself.

“Should we go talk to her” asked Button, rubbing his chin as they both stared at her from between a doorway.

“It’s best to give her some time to herself “ Rumble replied, “she’s got it pretty rough right now and I really don’t want to treat o her toes more than I already have”.

Button gave a sullen nod in agreement. Both the boys continued there whispered conversation under the ticking of Rarity’s large white office clock.

“Thank you man, for picking me up, I tried so hard to run here but I couldn’t go any further” Button acknowledged, his ear going limp as he felt weak in admittance.

His friend put a hoof on his shoulder, “It’s ok bro…I don’t think without your quick thinking Sweetie would have….well….You jumped in there at the last minute is all I’m saying, I’m sure she’s thankful to you” assured Rumble, giving him a weak pat.

Button again spoke to his best friend “jeez, but what Slash almost did….that’s heavy”.

“That asshole got what was coming to him, I’m surprised you didn’t break his arms, you looked like someone different when you grabbed him, you looked …scary, slow, and when you lifted him up with one hoof”. Button wasn’t sure if he was being complimented or warned.

“Well, point is we won, when can you say a nerd beats up a jock right?”.

Button gave a half smile.

“Might cause the pricks at school to start singing a different tune to us eh” Rumble joked, clutching his side as he gave a weak chuckle.
Suddenly a light flicked on in Button Mash’s head.

“I’ll be back in a sec” he announced to the winged colt.

Charging up the stairs into the upper segment of the house he located Sweetie’s room and went inside.

Posters littered her bedroom with various boy bands and artists, Button noticed that on the right hand wall was a large gloss poster of PoisenJoke, his brother Pitt on the front cover with more eyeliner than he’d seen anyone wear (even Scarlet). Working off memory Button bend down and slid his had under Sweetie’s bed, feeling around for a familiar case, between old tissue boxes, empty soda bottles and a rather large red phallus Button managed to locate a small black leather-backed box with a special brass-imbued instrument safely held inside.

Creeping back downstairs Button began to pick his hoof causally on the tool, praying that the pigmy guitar was still in tune. It made a dry but enjoyable sound that had a slight echo to it. He creped through the doorway and looked to sweetie whose face was still deep buried within her sorrow. Button plucked each note slowly on the ukulele, trying to remember an old buried tune from long long ago, his finger-work not as good as it used to be but still he played on, looking hard within the frets to find what he was looking for.

The instrument began to sing a sweet tune that perked Sweetie Belles ears up from across the room.

Button hummed along with the melody, not forgetting the words but choosing not to sing them.

Rumble arched himself against the wall and began to listen as well, Button slowly approaching the sad white mare. She shrugged the notes from her shoulder and fell back into her solemn.

Button didn’t give up, he played on, the small device echoing sweet dulcet chords that made Rumble close his eyes and sway with the rhythm.
“Hmmmm mmm mHmmmmmm” Hummed the Brown colt, slowly adding in lyrics at the end of each verse, teasing the music girl.
Sweetie again brang her head up, this time her face in a soured look.

“Stop that crap Button its annoying” she crowed.

“You wrote it”

“Yeah I know, and it’s annoying” Sweetie retorted viscously.

“Then don’t listen” cooed Button, still strumming the notes in rhythm, what his big brother taught him finally paying off.

Sweetie looked agitated, her bottom lip hidden behind her teeth, a brief exhale coming from her mouth as she rolled her eyes.

Rumbling soon began to swayed too and throw, his head caught in the rip of the musical waves that came from the instrument like wet shimmering fabric.

“la la la diddy da dum” chirped Button, realising he needed to up the ante if he wanted his plan to work.

The pegasi joined and soon they both resang the opening lyrics, there tone somewhat off putting to the white mare.

“It’s nine o’clock on a Saturday, regular herd shuffles in, there’s an old Colt sitting next to me……making love to his tonic and gin”
The Mare began to hum the tune; she was finally giving in to the music, her talent greater than her sorrow.

Her voice whispering the melody with the two boys.

“He said girl can you play me a memory, I’m not really sure how it goes, but it’s sad and sweet and I knew it complete…when I wore a younger colts clothes”.

“la la la diddy daaaah, lala lilly laaaaaaaaaah”.

Sweetie couldn’t hold back anymore, here angelic voice broke through the sadness and the endless incessant ticking, echoing through the house and bringing a soft smile to Button and Rumble’s face.

“Sing us a song you’re the piano mare, sing us a song tonight, where all in the mood for a melody, and you’ve got us feeling alright” her words flows like honey, the pitch and tone as perfect as she had ever sung, the jitter and croak in her words now dissolved and turned to sugar.

Button plucked away as she continued to sing, Rumble quietly harmonising as he enjoyed her singing much more than his own. They played on together a sweet duet, the lyrics and chords dancing together like a musical waltz. Sending swelled notes into a colourful flurry of synchronized jazz .

A warm fiery sensation filled the room as Sweetie Belle sang, Button knew her magical talents weren’t in spells or tricks but in her music, she (even without knowing it) let out invisible waves of euphoria that would enthral a crowd in her rhythmic web.

They played on and on, Button slipping up in a few areas but sweetie remaining perfect in her singing.

Her horn began to glow a royal golden colour as she closed her eyes and released vibrant wisps of luminous dust.

The room seemed to glow with amber sparks, like a thousand fire-works wizzing around and popping like crackers, the music would flow upwards and settle on the walls, imprinting against the rafters like luminous orange runes. Rumble could see fire-flies flying around the duet, their buzzing insect wings a reverberation of the ukulele strings.

“Now John at the bar is a friend of mine, he gets me my drinks for free, and he’s quick with a joke or to light up your smoke but theirs someplace that he’d rather be”.
The murky blue glass of the windows soon because iridescent with the colourful punch of amber hues. The sterile clean floor began to glow xanthously as sparkling dots of dust pitter-pattered against the ground with tiny faint tings.

On and on they played for what seemed forever, the room dimmed by magic and the music, the glow from sweetie’s spell casting an orange glow over the Caracole Boutique. On the final line the magic soon began to fade away, as if it was going out with the gentle tide. The sun setting on the their sweet duet as Button plucked the final notes, Sweetie belle holding the last lyric for as long as she needed too.

Suddenly Rumble exploded in a fit of violent clapping and cheering, forgetting the wounds that he wore on his bare skin. His face lit up with exuberant eyes.

“Fucking Mint!” he cooed, causing both Button Mash and Sweetie Belle to give a slight blush.

They both gave a bow to the adoring colt.

“That was pretty good” Button told Sweetie, a ginger little smile on his lips.

“That was...amazing” replied the mare, her tone still somewhat croaky but here face none the less in a pleasant smile.

Both the two gave each other a hug and trotted over to Rumble, his frame slung up against the doorway in a casual lean.

*Click* went the door of the Carousel boutique as Rarity entered the room, her usually fabulous mane now in a droopy slump.

“Um…Sweetie I’ve got two ponies here who would like to ask you some questions….if you feel you want to talk with them, if you don’t that fine but…If you could I’d like you to have a cat with them”.

Sweetie slowly sagged her head and gave a weak ‘Ok’ as reality returned to them; she began to at a snail’s-pace walk towards her.

“And Boys….I’d also like if you could answer some question from the nice Officers, you’re not in any trouble but we’d really like to know the full story” Rarity again asked, speaking to Button and Rumble as if they were 5 years old.

All three approached the door as they could see through the cloudy window panes blue and red lights glowing faintly at the front of the house before switching off.

The purple wooden door re-opened and two Royal Guard Ponies stepped inside, one of the two wore typical silver-plated guard armour while the other was dressed in a loose fitting coat.

Button Mash’s fur began to stand on end.

At the door stood the same detective from Button last run-in with the authorities, there was no mistake that it was her, the same faded strawberry pink mane, the same bedazzling emerald eyes, the same callous un-interested gaze…Its was Detective Noble.

“Hello Mr Mash, it seems once again your falling on our radar” She said (in what could almost be considered a joking manner). Button swallowed his throat as the two officers approached him and Rumble.

“Officer Kenny, please ask these two boys here on what transpired tonight…I’ll sit down with the girl and ask her a few questions” June Noble asked, walking past the armoured up colt and up to sweetie belle, her black dress-suit now a brown trench-coat and ruffled white buttoned-shirt, her eyes looking some-what strained and tired.

Detective Noble sat Sweetie down back by the purple lounge chairs and looked at her with sympathetic eyes, taking out a small read notebook and black-fountain pen. Sweetie told the older mare the whole story, her body no longer shaking or jittery around coldly. She was tough.

The large indigo Officer stood between Button and Rumble, taking from his side a paper-back notebook and a mustard-yellow lead pencil, propping the utensil in his mouth and pressing it firmly against the white booklet.

“Ok gentlemen; please tell me about what occurred at the Ponyville Botanical gardens tunnel entrance 38 minutes ago”.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

2 weeks later…..

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

*Crackle* “hello…is this thingy on?” *kirk* “hello”.

“Where can hear ya fine Scootaloo” Applebloom replied, turning down the volume on her Skype call.

“We gunna do this or what” Button Mash announced, sitting at his Computer desk with a stack of Cheeto balls on his left-hand-side, a mountain dew bottle on his left with a pink straw prodded inside it.

“Sure sure, let me just….there we are, you guys ready”.

“Check” replied Button.

“Check” replied Applebloom.

“…Check” replied Sweetie Belle.

With that they all joined the MineCraft RP server, there blocky characters a mix of different cultural Icons. Scootaloo was quick to get punching wood while Applebloom crafted herself a wooden Pickaxe and started hacking at the Stone-blocks. Button and Sweetie belle both ran off into a dark cave and started slaying as many zombies and skeletons as they could.

“So….um sweetie…..if you don’t mind me asking….what happened to Backslash” Scoot asked, the skype call going silent for a few moments.
“…he’s still locked up last time I heard…I don’t know if he’s had a trial or not…I don’t really want to know either way” the white mare replied.

“Sorry I know you don’t like talking about it….are you right to go back to your group….I’m not saying Applebloom and Tiara don’t like having you around but…how’s things going with Sugar biscuit, Brevity and all that”.

“We’ve kinda talked about it and they said no one has any….dislike for me, they all said I’m welcome to hang it with them…. it’s just awkward without Backslash around is all” .

A quick silence followed as nothing but a cough from Scoot could be heard.

“The two large colts were also expelled and thrown in as accomplices ….apparently their father’s and coach rang up Rarity and abused her for what seemed like hours” added in Sweetie, trying to show her friends that it was alright to talk about it.
“What’d she do?” Button replied.

“She just politely told them the situation and hung up….I don’t know how she could though…they threaten her as if she was criminal”.

“Rarity’s a strong old Gal….you both are” the yellow mare replied. Building a small house inside the stone-block wall.
Sweetie gave a small unconvincing hum of agreement.

The three ponies began to play in silence, their characters doing every little interaction for them.

“Hey Button” Sweetie belle asked the colt, the sound of him gulping down a few mouthfuls of dew over the microphone could be heard.
“Yeah” he replied, wiping his lips of the sugary green water.

“I was wondering if you wanted to do an assembly performance with me in a week or two, you seem very talented with string instruments so I thought you’d like to you know…do something together” she said, striking dead a cave spider sneaking down from an abandoned mine.

“uh…I dunno Sweets…I don’t really uh…like going on stage” hesitated the boy.

Sweetie quickly replied, “it’s ok if you don’t, I just thought I’d ask and all that”.

“I’m not saying no!” rushed button, “I’m saying….just let me….brush up you know, come back to me in a week” Finished the brown colt, digging up a vein of iron.

The white mare replied simply with ‘Ok’. Returning back to their game.

On and on they played their blocky colourful experience, building and crafting for what seemed two whole hours and seven bottles of dew, cola and pepsi. Scootaloo was first to leave as Rumble invited her out for a drink, Applebloom was next as she was ordered by Applejack to ‘get off that blasted doohickie and go tah sleep!’. Once again Both Sweetie Belle and Button Mash were alone, a skype interface between them.

“So” sweetie belle asked, “How’s Scarlet”.

“Sweetie don’t” retorted the brown colt.

“No I’m serious…how is she?”.

“She’s alright, next week were going on a date to the theatre in Canterlot”.

“Cool, any Idea what you’re gunna watch”.

“…Cthulhu the musical”.

“Nice, somewhat unconventional”.

“Her choice of course” Button finished, there game beginning to go stale as their characters merely ran around on their stone-brick castle shooting spiders with arrows.

“Does it still hurt?” the mocha stallion asked genuinely, transparent on the topic.

Sweetie belle went quiet, unresponsive to his question.

“yeah…a little” She confessed.

In a halfway joking manner hiding unconvincingly an old truth “I felt that for a long time you know”.

“I know Button….I know”.

After a final stewing silence the white mare gave a large exhale signalling that it was time for her to hop off.

“You know Button…you really should re-learn guitar, you’re good at it”.

“I know Sweetie…I know”.

Ending the call Button hoped off the Computer and lay down on his bed, the soft touch of the blanket sending a twang of relief up his spine. He closed his eyes and plugged his head-phones into his ears, turning on his E-Z listening playlist.

“He was different….from the rest of the world….he chose the lovely every tiiiime” hummed Button lazily to himself, his head slowly falling into the clutches of sleep. His thoughts inevitably soon once again fell upon Sweetie Belle, not Sexual as his fantasies on her use to be but this a more affectionate one. Slinging his body drunkenly back out of bed he stepped out the dark corners of his bedroom and into the hallway. Knocking on his mother’s door, he entered and found her sitting on her bed watching old episodes of Cops.

“Mom…strange question but do you know if Pitt’s spare guitar is still here?” Button asked, rubbing his eyes.

She looked back at him somewhat dumb-founded, Button hadn’t taken an interest in music since he was ten, back when his brother taught him to play guitar.

“Uh…I think it’s still in its case next to my closet over their” pointed the mare, a tattered black casing imbued with old band stickers leaning dustily next to her wooden dressing drawer.

Button walked over and grabbed the instrument, giving a small quick ‘thank you’ to his mother as she stared back at him with an inquisitive smile.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“E-C-G-D” Button hummed to himself, searching the fret-board for the right chords, its brittle strings somewhat out of tune.

“Ok…E-E-C…..G-G-D….repeat” he said to himself, the dusty instrument reverberating in his grip and licking up against the walls adjacent to him, filling the room with a rustic rhythm that held strong when Button played.

“Sound lovely” quietly announced Karen, her soft frame standing in the door-way, legs folded and a white coffee mug in her grasp.

Button gently looked towards her and then back to the old guitar, giving himself a loose smirk as he wiped the dust from the strings.

“It’s good to see you bust out your brother’s old axe Honey” Button’s mother said, her mane half tied back, loose chocolate strands of her hair bordering the side of Safire blue eyes, yellow light illuminating a quarter lip of her shadowed face.

E chord, C chord, G chord, D chord.

“Hey mom” asked the boy.

“Yes Button” she replied.

“Did Granma ever teach you any instruments?” .

Blushing she rubbed her head and began to think.

“Oh…I think my mother taught me piano when I was a young girl, I was never really good at it though, I could never keep tempo properly” she replied, taking a sip of her coffee.

“What about Dad?”.

“Hah, he played the heart-strings that’s for sure……other than that no, he never was the musical type”.

“Mom?”.

“yes hun”.

“Do you still have dad’s number?”.

“I know he owns that dusty old Motel off Canterlot west…but numbers, you’ll have to search the phonebook for that…Why do you ask?” .

“Just curious is all…” Button looked down at the wooden tool in his arms, his fiery orange eyes staring at it curiously as old tunes soon sprung back up in his mind like old boxes in an attic.

Both the two went into a peaceful silence as Button strummed away on the guitar, the old girl listening gracefully as she nodded her head along with the strings. Both their eyes slowly closing as Button played from his memory, getting caught in the tide of music like a small fish being hooked and pulled with the stream.

‘E-E-C….G-G-D’ he thought to himself, the hum of the wood massaging his arms and sending him sleepily to a numb rest, his arm simply lifting and fell in a lazy motion as he felt himself losing consciousness.

Yawning Karen stepped forward and ruffled his chestnut brown mane with her hoof, slowly leaving the room and saying goodnight to her young son who was barely awake, his body slumped over the guitar as he droopishly slid the instrument under his bed and slid himself into his red covers. Turning off his bedroom lamp and engulfing his bedroom in a blue darkness, he lay stagnant in his bed, a simple pleasant grin on his face as he felt himself slowly drift out of consciousness. Everything in his lift had seemed to finally slow down and had given him time to enjoy his life, to enjoy his friends, his hobbies, his desires and his hopes. Button Mash was happy….but for how long he did not know.

Either way he slept happy that night, the best sleep he ever had.

Season 3 Part 2: Din's Fire

Author's Note

Merry Xmas/Kwanzaa/Hanukkah/life day everybody. As to be festive this chapter takes place in the snow (kinda).

It's also something that we all knew was going to come to a boil.

Season 3 Part 2: Din's Fire

*Click Click Click*

Button furiously spammed his left mouse button, the tiny little character on the screen jerkinly bouncing around pelting other players with his boomerang.

“Haha eat frosty shit Teemo!” barked Button Mash as he killed the player and dived into a bush, reaching across his desk and sucking on the blue frozen fanta slurpy.

He looked back to the monitor and jumped in surprise, almost chocking on his icey drink.

“what how did they take the inhibitors down so fast....err fucking Yasuo!” He cried out again destroying his mouse with a barrage of *click click*.

Button glued his eyes to the game as he was assaulted with waves of buffed enemy minions, trying to cut them down as he was being targeted by the Yasuo and Warwick.

“Run run run you jumpy little orange fuckness” pelted the brown colt as he ran for his life.

*Brrrrrrring Brrrrring*

Button cellphone began to ring in his over on his bed, His attention now being shifted as he needed to make a choice.

“C'mon not now please not now” he pleaded, jerking his head back and forth as the phones went on to its last few rings.

“Err fuck it!” bursted out the colt as he swung back on his swivel chair and pick up the phone on his bed, looking at the caller..... Sweetie Belle
“Oh shit” he thought to himself quickly answering the phone and hoping she was still there.

“Uh hey Sweets, sorry only just managed to find this damn phone of mine” he lied, hoping back onto the computer and putting the phone between his shoulder and cheek, he was too late, 47 second cool down till his character could re spawn.

But it was too late, straight to voice mall went an audio message from Sweetie.

"Hey Button, listen Im going ice-skating down to the mall at 6 today and I was wondering if you wanted to come, not as a date or anything but….yeah you get what I mean, If you wanna come ice-skating that’s cool (get it, ice….cool, never mind) I'll see you there if not that’s fine I was asking is all".

Button examined the text and glanced his head towards the clock, 5:15 Pm, Thinking he though to himself if he should go or not, over the past few weeks Button had tried to stay close friends with Sweetie without bringing back up certain topics and feelings that he'd currently preferred not to talk about, Button knew she understood and he himself knew that he had to dismiss any heavy emotional feels he had for her….though sometimes late alone at night he couldn’t help but think about that night they had together, it felt similar to what he felt with Scarlet but it was also very different, When Button though about Scarlet he could feel a warm smile inside him, a feeling of emotional satisfaction...but when he thought about Sweetie his heart kind of flitted, a hollow wispy feeling in is chest like cold wind on wet grass... Button couldn't explain if it was good or bad but it was an alien feeling that he often dwelt on, what was it's meaning and why did he only feel it when he thought of Sweetie belle, if ever he knew the answer he surely would not admit it to himself.

"Defeated!" spat out the computer, Button so lost in his anst that he had paid no attention to the match, the chat bar a flood of hateful and desperate messages directed at his character, usually ending with an adjective followed with an explicit curse word.

Button hovered his mouse over find new game and wondered if he should click it, again he gave a glance to the clock and read the time, 5:18 Pm. He gave a gaze out his bedroom windows towards the florescent light posts and lit homes of Ponyville, the Public bus which he was now very familiar with would leave his stop at 6:30 on the dot, 'I have ten minutes" he thought to himself, Slowing grinding and biting his lower lip with his teeth.

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*Knock*, *Knock*.

Karen opened the door to the small Mare standing at the welcome mat, a black and red scarf wrapped around her neck almost covering her mouth.

"Good evening Scarlet, I take it you’re here for Button".

"Yessem Mrs Mash, Is he hear".

"Scarlet You know my name is Karen, your not five years old" chuckled the old mare, "Sorry Hunny But He kind of left in a rush about an hour ago, said he was going to his friend's InkSpot's house to play a raid with him.

"Oh ok, s that weird?".

"I'd say, He could easily just teamspeak or Skype him and play online, not sure why he needs to rush over assuming Inkspot even has a spare PC for Wow, plus Button plays a level eighty female night elf hunter, I'd think he wouldn't be so eager to start a new class on someone else's computer".

"That's odly detailed of you, do you think he's up to something".

The brown manned mare ushered the girl closer, quitting her voice.

"Remember when you told about Button's little high moment first time you two met, well after that he had a heavy incident with a large amount of Zebra narcotics, the doctor at the police station said he'd ingested a lethal amount so for a few days after that I kept a close eye on him, I thought he'd given up the stuff But I seriously think he may be sneaking of to .you know...partake".

"So you think's he's gone of to go get high with his friends?" asked Scarlet, her tone confused with a tinge of frustration.

"Honestly I can't say, It's hard to tell when Button's telling the truth or not, lately he's gotten good and acting or pretending or just not being real with me, it gets a bit infuriating sometimes, either way come in dear, I'll make you a drink, you are old enough to drink right?".

"Well yes bu." before she could finish Karen pulled her right inside and sat her by the cough as she went to the kitchen and took out to wine glasses with a bottle of rum.

"would you like some cola mixed in hun".

"uh yes please" the maroon headed mare scanned her head around the room, the home was tidy and adorned with family portraits and musical memorabilia. Scarlet's eyes soon snapped on a stand over next to the wall with a large collection of records, a black record player encased with stickers above.

"Are you Into Music Mrs Ma... I mean Karen?".

"Hell yes dear, I do considered myself quite the rocker at least in my younger days, I started that collection around twenty-eight years back, Every now and again I would pick up a new one for the collection, gosh I must have close to two hundred records now.

"Do you mind if I take a look".

"Not at all dear, put something on if you like".

With that the young mare stood up and trotted over the collection, scanning each band name with admiration, reading the song lists on the back of more familiar albums.

Karen emerged from the kitchen with two glasses of rum'n'coke, placing Scarlet's on the table as she elegantly sipped on her own.
"DO you know all these bands".

"Every band every song, Some from years way before my time, I keep the newer stuff in the CD rack under the stand.

Scarlet out of impulse bend down and looked through the CD collection, bands she was now definitely familiar with. With a burst of squee she picked out a black covered CD with a single blue flower printed on the Cover.

"Can I play this, Im a huge fan of PoisenJoke?".

"Hah sure hun, I guess I must be a big fan too".

"Sorry Im fan-girling abit here" The younger mare stated, taking out the CD and putting it in the player, listening as the guitar began to play.
"Who's your favourite member" Karen Mash asked, taking a sip of her drink".

"It's a given But I really Like Pitt, He has really nice vocals".

A small smirk creped on the old mare's face. "What do you know about him".

"Pitt Ashley, well he's twenty-six and he's from Fillydephia…. Wait Pitt Mash...are you saying your related to him?" she asked, her voice growing more inebriant and cheerful.

With a smooth move of her arm she took a photo of the wall and handed it to the teenager.

The picture was of a very young Button standing next to a darker coated teenage colt with a orange and black streak mane. Scarlet quickly drew a comparison.

"He's Button's older brother".

Scarlet could not contain the shear amount of See inside of her.

"O My gosh oh my gosh, I'm dating the brother of the lead singer of PoisenJoke. Karen is there anyway you can get me to meet him?".

"Sure" she said, moving over and ringing a number on the phone, to fast for Scarlet to even reply as hesitation exploded from here mouth.

"Wait no Im not ready please!".

*BRING BRING*

"Hi Honey it's Mum, look I've got Button's girlfriend here and she's a huge can, is it alright if she can say I few words?".

Scarlet stood dead cold, her smile now unfathomable fear.

"Really great, I'll put here on now".

"Howdy, I take it you mus be Little Button's new squeeze?" Pitt asked.

"Uh…" her voice was stuttery and chirped.

"H.HI" she croaked out.

"And Hello to you too, what's the matter, frog in your throat" The colt playfully said, all too familiar with star-struck fans.

"… Uh hi…." She shook her head and took a deep breathe.

"Mr Pitt I'm a really big fan of your music, uh what is um….uh…".

"Little Miss please give me any question you have, don’t worry I wont bite...much" he toyed around again.

"well, in your song 'Dark side of Luna' the music video showed you did a short segment using 3D cgi instead of the typical 2D animated parts you usually have in your videos, was this a stylistic thing or something else...or whatever you know".

"well our drummer Boomer at the time was dating the lead animator, a few days before they had broken up and when the studio sent in the file for the segment his ex has overlaid a video of Boomer crying drunk in the shower vomiting all over himself, our producer was appalled and he quietly contacted a 3D Yak animation house to do the segment".

"Then why in 'Buffalo soldier' did you again have 2D animated parts?".

"... They got back together" Pitt plainly replied, Scarlet giving a chuckled in response.

Scarlet then continued to Barrage him with more questions as Karen waited patiently, swirling her rum around in the glass, feeling a warm buzz began, Once Scarlet gave herself a moment to breathe Pitt changed the subject more to her and soon they were talking about more jovial and mundane things like most folks would, by then Karen was sitting out on the front steps on a plastic lawn chair, gazing at the stars with a cool glass in hoof, listening to the muffled voices from Scarlet and Pitt. Karen began quietly humming to herself as she could hear the far off sounds of the odd coach driving by. Sinking deeper into inebriation she turned her curiosity to the house above her, the tall wooden structure so stoic and warming, a place to call home ever since she and Kickin bought in years before kids. Karen could still picture that moment. Arriving here for the first time, pulling into the driveway at 6am in the morning after a long trip from Fillydephia. Stepping out, stretching and opening the door to the vast empty place she would call home.

"So…. Here we are" Karen announced, dropping down and flopping onto her back in the middle of the hallway, putting her arms under her head.

"Seven years of work, Seven years of saving every last bit...and here it is, the fruits of our labour" Kickin replied, taking of his olive windbreaker jacket and slumping next to his wife on the floor, popping out a cigarette and putting it to the side of his mouth.

"Well.it really would have been more like five years if you hadn't had gotten into that motorcycle accident" Karen joked around, taking a silver zippo lighter out of his side pocket and lighting the smoke.

" Hah yeah, a young Stallion's got to learn a few lessons in life".

"Like the difference between accelerate and brake".

"Aye".

"And the difference between a ramp and a park bench".

"ew.don't be remindin' me, I almost lost me eye".

"You almost lost your head".

They both giggled a bit and shared the last draws of the cigarette.

"So you want to start unloading the van, get at least a bed or couch in maybe".

"Soon babe soon, until then….lets get to know the place before we start throwing stuff in".

Cocking an eyebrow Kickin leaned over Karen till there eye to eye.

"Maybe we should grab some blankets, a pillow and test drive the floorboards, see if they squeak?".

"Arnt you just a hopeless romantic" Karen seductively replied lowering her eyelids and parting the hair from Kickin's mane.

"But" she slowly continued "You'll have to catch me first...BOOP" the mare stated abruptly as she booped him on the nose and quickly got up and charged up the stairs, Kickin scrambling to his feet as he chased after her, running up and down the empty house laughing and giggling all the way.

"Karen... Karen".

Karen Mash slowly opened her eyes and looked up seeing Scarlet above her, beyond that the blue night sky.

"Oh.wha... Sorry dear, I must have dosed off a bit" the old mare said in a daze, scratching her head. "what time is it?".

"Not that late, you went outside I think maybe an hour ago" Scarlet replied, helping Karen onto four legs.

"You've been talking to Pitt for an hour?, what about?".

"Just stuff like music, video games and tv shows...other stuff just random and stupid is all, He's a cool guy, very down to earth for a celebrity".

"He was always a good natured boy, very soft though, sensitive and all that".

"I think I can guess the type, anyway Karen, I think I'd better get back home?".

"Oh do you want me to give you a lift".

"hah I don't think your in any condition to drive, Ill just call Lemonlime and see if he can pick me up?".

"Lemonlime...is he your father?".

"Well no...eh kinda, he's my mother's husband, my real dad died when I was eight" Scarlet said as a cool wind blew at her legs, causing her to tighten the black and red scarf around her neck.

"Im sorry dear".

"No need to be, he was a drunk...well...uh.a different kind of drunk, not like you, he was a stupid drunk, he died the way he lived...trying to jump a gorge with a shopping trolley strapped with fire extinguishers".

"That hilarious….Im sorry" Karen replied with a doughy face.

"I know...we still have the footage, it went viral...sad….but hilarious" Scarlet plainly stated.

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Button nervously looked around as he made his way towards the food court, trying to eye out which of these technicoloured pony folk was Sweetie belle, Button didn't feel right lying to his mother like he did, if he had just told her he was going to the mall with Sweetie she would have obviously known it was platonic, this is what friends do Button thought, they go out and do things. Button also knew that things were different know, it wasnt the two of them avoiding each other like it used to be, these last few weeks had made them closer with one and other, a deep respect and kindness between them now.

A shiver went up Button's spine as he cozied up in his blue hoody. He was scanning each row of ponies looking for the one he knew.

"Hay Button over here" called out a mare sitting over to the far right of the food court, waving him over as she sipped on her tropical mango and cinnamon fruit smoothy. It was definitely Sweetie, those emerald eyes have always been a dead give away. She got up gave Button a hug then sat back down, Button pulling up a chair in front of her, there position one way facing all the various little food stalls and restaurants while the other was a large glass window view of the Canterlot Shopping Centre Ice skating Rink.

"So how'd you enjoy the beach, you and Rumble seemed to be Broking it up most of the time" Sweetie belle asked, her arm resting on the white stone table, propping up her head as she rested her cheek on it.

"Besides him pushing me off the rocky cliff-face I can't honestly say that this trip was one of the funnest experiences of my life, you, me, AB, Tiara, Scoot and Rumble....we all just gelled ya know, so yeah...twas fun" Button replied, eyeing down Sweetie gorgeous beverage, the fruity pungent aroma making button thirsty and hungry at the same time.

Sweetie immediately spotted him out and slide it over to him, Button giving a little oriental bow as he sucked a quarter of the drink dry.
"Any way" asked Button, slurping his food/drink "how'd did your piano piece go with Mrs Treb, did she like it".

"huh...what do you think" the mare joked "when you play like I do people fall at your hooves".

"such is the life of a musician eh".

"It's a living" quipped the mare.

They both chuckled slightly, Button leaning back and slinging his arms behind his head, sweetie belle blowing Bubbles in her drink.

"So you still playing Guitar?" Sweetie asked with a plastic sort of muffle, trying to speak through her straw.

"Every other day" The colt Replied "I can't read the bloody symbols but I can remember the chords".

"Oh come on reading music isn't that hard....have you tried tab?".

"I just learn to use tutorial videos online, it's alot easier than trying to decrypt some ancient foreign language like you music plebs do"
"You wouldn't know an octave from a crotchet would you" Joked Sweetie belle.

"Now but I would hang myself from the bar line if I could".

"your hopeless".

"I play the strings and it makes the noise good sound thingy happen.dur" Button told her, making a dumb expression with his face.

"Anything new in your musical repertoire hmm" Sweetie asked, rolling the cylindrical drink side to side in her hooves.

"Well since last we played I've learnt Wonder-wall and fear of the dark".

"Maybe there's hope for you yet my young padawan".

"A Musical Jedi Soon I will become".

Sweetie jerkily nodded his head towards the glass window.

"So you want to go skating or just banter onwards?".

"Well to me there nothing better than a game of wits".

"More like a couple of nitwits eh"

"Hah, yeah ok come on lets go try this out....shouldn't be hard" Proclaimed the brown colt, hitching up his hoody.

"Wait you've never....oh...oh this'll be fucking hilarious" Sweetie popped her drink in the bin and they both took the elevator down to the Ice rink, as they metallic silver doors opened a wave of frosty air bit at there faces like icey frost wraiths.

"Burrr" Shivered Sweetie, sinking her face down into the collar of her Ruby red Parker jacket, Button doing the same with his hoody.

They approached the perky-looking young unicorn at the counter, her eyes enlarged by a thick pair of glasses and face half eaten by a rainbow woollen beanie.

"Hello how may I *achew* help you today" she asked.

"Two adults for the ice rink please, 117, 121 mm small for me and hmm....127, 133 medium for him thank you".

"Uh four in small and four in medium...got it" the cashier replied somewhat confused, turning around and searching the shelves for skates.

"How do you know my shoe size?" Button whispered.

"At the beach when we were doing shoulder wars, your hoof was slightly bigger then mine" Sweetie replied, taking out a small purse from her jacket.

"oh".

"Ok there we are, that'll be $16 each please" the young mare at the counter told them, Button taking out his wallet as Sweetie pushed it back down into his pocket.

"Please I invited you here, I've got this dont worry" with that sweetie handed over $32 bits and they both clipped on their skates, Button almost stumbling over as he tried to balance himself.

"You really haven't done this before have you?" Sweetie asked, putting his arm over her shoulder and leading him onto the ice.

"First time for everything right" jittered Button as he latched onto the side rails, tripping and scudding as Sweetie glided across with ease.
"Have you ever used roller-skates?" The lavender-haired mare asked.

"Yeah".

"well its kinda the same, just try to propel yourself-*SMACK*

Button hit the ice before she could even finish her sentence, she lifted him back up and again he fell flat on his face.

"Hah, ok, here take my hoof, I'll guide you along.just please stop ruining that mug of yours gods know its been through a beating" joked Sweetie extending out her arm as Button scurried up and latched onto her shoulder.

"Don't let go ok!" pleaded Button Mash, his face filled with fear as he scuffed, scuddled and slipped back and forth on the icey ground.

“Come on Dingus, I'll show you how it's done” She said with a sweet and humorous tone, pulling Button's over her shoulder and holding him by the waist with her other arm.

“Just focus on staying completely rigid and I'll guide you along the ice OK”.

“OK” Button replied, giving a gulp of fright.

Sweetie Belle slowly glided herself and the Colt across the rink, avoiding the few skaters that aimlessly skidded across here and there.
“Ok... Ok I think I'm getting the hang of this” Button told Sweetie with a jittery tone. The mare slowly began to let go of his waist as he slowly skated forward in one stiff unmoving motion.

“Hah Im doing it...Im doing it!” called out Button Mash, letting out a burst of excitement.

“Watch out for the...*Whack*.... Guard rail” Sweetie belle told him to little to late, skating over and scooping him up.

“Maybe You're not quite ready to go solo, here just hold onto me and I'll keep you up” The mare told him, Button slightly Blushing as he put his arm around her side, he could feel her warm body radiating through from the red jacket.

“There we are, nice and slow” guided the girl, Button almost tripping over five times before gradually getting the hang of it.

Soon there came a distorted female voice over the loudspeaker that almost startled both Button and Sweetie of there skates.

“We here at the Canterlot Ice Rink would like to wish Harley and Petunia Pride a happy two year anniversary, this little number is for you two love-birds. Soon the lights dimmed down as a different colourful light spilled out from wall-mounted strobes, a slow romantic tune beginning to play from the loudspeaker that was much clearer than the disembodied voice.

Simultaneously Both Button Mash and Sweetie Belle felt an awkward mood set in as the room was clearly full of other 'couples' slowly twirling around together like NPC's.

Button looked to her.

“So...uh, you uh.want to.... Dance” He asked in a stumble of mumble.

“Well, um sure i'f ...you know ...you want to” Sweetie replied, bumbling her words.

“Like I don't mind if you don't it's just with every pony else and”.

“No, I understand, uh sure just...like it's just dancing right?” Sweetie again replied, trying to hide her enthusiasm.

“Yeah right, just two pals spinning around, nothing more to it” Told Button, more to himself than anyone else.

With that both the Ponies locked hooves and began slowly twirling around to the music.

Button began to stumble once again and almost fell to the ground before Sweetie grabbed him round the waist and he 'pulling toward' instinctively did the same, both there gazes occasionally locking eye contact before they would pull away and repeat the process all over again.

The tune was a soft piano ballad with a mare's voice so sweet it melted right into the instrument, fusing together to mesmerise the skaters and forcing them to release heavy doses of dopamine by the truckload.

Button and Sweetie soon were pressed up together in a hug, Still slowly spinning around together. Sweetie eventually laid her face softly into Button's chest, his heart racing so fast and pumping so hard that he could tell Sweetie was being barraged by the intense thumps. Both the two didn't say anything, they wouldn't even know what to say in a moment like that, words seemed unnecessary when your body handled everything for you, all you had to do was close your eyes and listen to the Sweet dulcet tone of the piano.

Eventually the song began to fade away and the lights lit back up to there usual fluorescent white and When Button Finally opened his eyes he found his muzzle buried deep in Sweeties mane, the aroma of lavender filling his nose. “Gods What am I doing!” they both thought to themselves, still cradling each other in an unending spin, each one two afraid to stop or let go.

Once again the speakers were flooded with the feminine voice of the cashier worker.

“Sorry folks, Well be cutting it early tonight, The royal guards ordered a nine o'clock curfew for everyone in the entire Canterlot region, sorry for the inconvenience please exit the rink within the next five to seven minutes, thank you”.

Sweetie belle lifted her head of Button's chest and slowly pulled herself away, Button doing the same as they stood stiff and robotic, looking away from each other in a elongated silence.

“Well lets get going” Button finally said, rubbing his shoulder.

“Y-yeah lets um do that” Sweetie replied, the two skating to the gate, (Button more jerkily sliding).

They both hobbled over to black leather seats and began awkwardly removing their skates, Button still feeling that his cheeks were fiery red.

Sweetie plodded herself against the wall and began to untie her laces, un-ziping her ruby red jacket halfway as she literally felt 'hot under the collar'. Button watched her try to take of the white bladed shoes, her face slowly beginning to lose focus and drift of somewhere else.

As she removed her second skate she let slip from her lips 'Is this really how it's going to be', her voice meaning to be inward but out of accident or error she verbalised them almost silently, Button immediately knew what she meant, her eyes told him more than her words could, she had that melancholy look about her, a small almost non-existent smile and eyelids half lowered. Her eyes stuck in a doorway between the here and now and the running film of old memories, she didn't even seem to notice that Button was staring right at her.
The colt imagined sitting down next to her and giving her an answer to what she was asking, he visualised they would both chuckle in sadness and look out on the frosty ice-rink, there feelings the same with no fear and talking about what they didn’t want to.

Button wanted to so much...but he said nothing and left her dreaming, one and a half skates off.

“Guys Sorry to bother you two but I'm really Gunna need you out of here now so I can lock up and go home, It's not that Im trying to be bitchy or anything but I really don't wan't to walk home late with all those shootings and gang fights going on, sorry” said the Beanie-adorned Mare from the counter, a green backpack at her side. Sweetie gave a confused 'huh' as she was pulled back into the vice of reality. "oh uh yeah sure, Let me just uh get these things off".

"your good, take your time, sir uh could you also remove your skates”

Button hadn't even realized. Sitting down he popped them all off, Both ponies finally leaving the rink better or worse than when they went in, to Button it felt Just like at the party, to Sweetie it felt just like when she woke up after the party.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Move kid!” spat out a heavy-set pegasus with a thick moustache, pushing past Button with two large plastic bags of groceries, the two teenagers caught in the rip of the large exiting crowd, pushing, rushing, groining and farting as they squeezed out the front entrance of the mall.

“How rude” Sweetie told Button, keeping close as they compressed into a solid brick of ponies funnelling out the door.

“Cholesterol will get him before I do” quipped Button, Sweetie Belle scoffing as they evacuated into the parking lot.

Eventually the two found themselves sitting at a small enclosed bus bay beyond the large glowing Letters of the Canterlot mall.

In the distant they could hear sirens and the the hot orange glow of a house fire.

“So....all in all how would you rate this little get together?” Sweetie asked, putting her hands between her lap and flicking back her mane.

“Apart from the ten minutes of ice skating and obese mall shoppers.... I'd rate it around seven out of ten”.

“Dude that's a little high don't you think?”.

“Well I wasnt the one paying for it, well besides the bus fare here and back. Im guessing this wasn't to fun for your wallet though”.

“eh money's just money, I enjoyed myself though, your a pretty quick learner”.

“four left hooves ain't no good for skating or dancing”.

They both smiled and looked at the city.

“The city looks like it's dying doesn't it?” Button said, breathing hot air against his cold hooves.

“All the fires and shootings and robberies and murders... I tell ya shit's insane out there”

“Aye, all because of one pony”, (me) Button thought to himself.

“You know I've been reading up on this whole Powerstruggle with all these gangs, apparently it's because after that Zebra mob boss died there was no one to take his place....no successor for the crime family, now every thug and there granma is trying to force there way into the position...It's insane isn't it?” Sweetie Belle asked, Button's face growing distant.

*Crack* *Crack* *CRACK!*

“Yeah...insane” he reverberated.

“Are you ok Button?” the white mare asked, putting the end of her hoof on his shoulder, causing him to snap back into reality like the cashier did with Sweetie belle.

“Yeah, just...you know....going through some things right now” he told her with a low whispery tone, feeling the cold air stinging his legs.

Sweetie ran her eyes up him, He had lost a lot of weight since the beginning of the year as well his eyes were alot darker and more sunken, Button looked older despite it being only two months.

“I worry about you Button” she told him with the same wispy tone, “You look so different”.

The colt couldn't really understand what she was implying.

“Is it the face, it's gotta be the face, all those beatings will do that to a mug like this” Somewhat joked Button, this time not getting a chuckle out of the mare as it was clear she was being serious about him.

“Look... I know I've been acting weird for a while now, it just.... I'm in abit of a dark place right now” Button told her quickly following up with “But Im getting better, now that things are settling down I can come back from it, I... I really want things to be different now, I want to spend more time with you....and Rumble and uh Scarlet and every pony, things are finally stabilised after the whole Backslash thing...oh, oh no I'm sorry, I didn't mean to”.

“It's ok, I think I've gotten past it now...well not really but...kinda” Sweetie gave a long exhale as she got up and sat right next to Button, “Button can I be honest with you?” She asked, her voice getting very Vulnerable and jittery as it was clear the cold air was getting to her too.

Button gave a small nod.

“The first few days after the fight at the park I felt....horrible.... Like some little broken toy, I know he didn't actually 'Physically' do...it, But just knowing that Backslash, Someone I had called one of my closest friends for so long could just pin me down and try to” Her tone voice was beginning to crack.

“well, I had to do a lot of thinking after that night...a lot of thinking....about everything, sometimes I would just whimper in my bed for hours not even really knowing why like some sad puppy, Erm. Button... for gods sake I haven't touched myself ever since then, everytime I just feel....dirty, like my vagina is some piece of meat for people to try and claim for themselves” Sweetie hadn't opened her self up in this way to Button before, It was clear she trusted Button enough to talk with him about it.

“Anyway” She let out a smaller more throaty exhale “School thankfully didn't change....When I came back people were just really nice to me, at first I hated it because I knew that they all knew and were just pitying me but.now things are just normal again and I think life'll be a lot better from now on”.

“You've always been the type to carry on through the worse of things” Button told her, trying to comfort her.

“Thankfully I've got you and everyone to keep me up.....heck your a tough son of a bitch too, you seemed to always be filled with determination”

Button hide his face and gave a humorous scoff.

“Hah, You've always been the stronger one between us" Button replied.

She gave her own scoff immediately as she ran her hoof through her hair and held her head between both her arms, elbows on thighs.

"that night at the garden….you fought off three monsters to save me, That's seems pretty strong to me".

Button blushed.

"I mean...you know what I mean...mentally and all that shit".

"Well...maybe I am a little bit more plugged in than you, but you that night showed your real colours, you and rumble threw yourselves against brick walls to protect me, Im sure being kind, sweet and brave can cancel out ...whatever's screwed up in there" she told him, pointing towards his head.

"I sure hope so... I reall" Sweetie belle cut him off as he went again into the dredges of pity. "Why do you always act so mysterious, can you even mention what it is that made you so….dreary, talk about why your in such a dark place?”.

Sweetie belle had hit a tick in Button's nerve that caused him to change his tone.

"Sweetie... In life there's stuff we want to talk about but we know we can't, I can't tell you or Scarlet or rumble or my mother or anyone what it is... I want to forget it or bury it deep down where even I wont be able to remember...please just know it was fucked up and I didn’t want to do it when it happened.

Sweetie looked at him puzzled, a million heartbreaking, horrible and horrendous scenarios playing out in her head.

"... Did it happen to you or did you do it to someone else or".

"SWEETIE PLEASE" he barked, this time cutting her off, she jolted back somewhat, like touching a faulty fuse.

Sweetie belle looked at Button's face, eyes deep and teary, whatever it was she could tell he must have regretted it.

"I'm sorry" Sweetie told him, putting her arms back in her lap and staring back at the black of night.

"I know…. I just don't like how there are these things… things we're not allowed to talk about" he replied, sinking his chin into his palm now, zipping up his hoody as the night winds started to dig into his fur.

"Like when we had sex" plainly stated Sweetie turning to Button with a sombre expression on her face.

Sweetie looked at button, her face looking as if she didn’t seem to care but beyond that a very real fear of what Button's reply would be.

Button didn’t feel like barking at her this time….he just wanted to talk about it, to him as much as it hurt he knew it wasn’t as bad as the 'big' secret.

"Yeah…" he replied wiping his nose with his sleeve. "Like when we….had sex".

"can we actually talk about it, no breakdowns no tears, no lies or bullshit" Sweetie asked, The hummed chorus of people funnelling out of the mall.

Button gave an exhale, "sure, let's talk about it...why not".

"Don't do that Button, I don’t want it to seem like Im just piling this crap on you and your there sucking it up and throwing it away, I know we already seemed to settle it back before the shit hit the fan but, I still feel like there's 'something' left, you told me you...loved me but you lie so often.... I can't tell any more"

Button was beginning to feel agitated, he soon let out an outburst in Sweetie's face.

"What do you want me to do!...what do you want me to say...treat it like it was some mystical holy experience, we fucked, we banged, we drunkenly screwed on a dingy couch at some random house party, gods Sweetie it's pretty simple... I put my penis inside your vagina is there any more to it than that, it's not like it was the first time we screwed ...” Sweetie's face looked hurt by his words but she still kept quiet while button kept barking at her. “The only issue is that we fucked while I was going out with someone else...that's it isn't it, that's the issue, is that what you want to hear because there it is, that’s how I feel about it!" Button vented, each word like small knives digging themselves into Sweetie's chest, She took each hit, she knew she had to if she wanted to get the answer she was looking for, but even still, it killed her every blow.

"So that's it then, thank you button know I know how you feel" She replied, shrinking down into her ruby jacket, her eyes trailing towards the ground as subtle tears formed around her eyes, she forced herself not to cry Button face was red and flustered as it's clear that what he said hit him just as bad, his stomach twisting in knots and eyes blistering in pain.

A silence started that made seconds feel like decades.

Button felt his brain screaming at him to say sorry or actually tell her how he felt...but he couldn't, he couldn't fight himself, he couldn't let his feelings be real by acknowledging them.

...

..

.

Suddenly Button threw himself upwards and propelled his fist at the bus-stop steal beam.

*DING!* Button hit the metal column beside him as hard as he could, clutching at his hoof in pain and biting down on his bottom lip.
Sweetie belle jumped up in surprise.

"ERRRR.fucking hell...you...know how I really feel... I just can't…let myself say it...ERRR" Button told her in a searing grunt. Literally beating the truth out of himself.

"Button, no more personas, no more masks, lies or bravado, just tell me how you felt that night , that's all I want...please I need to know" Sweetie Belle plainly said, holding his hoof in her own and looking him in the eye, trying to cut through Button's layers to find him.

"... That night ERRR!... I felt that I.... Fucking Celestia Sweetie I felt I had found you again, we were kids, it was like nostalgia, sitting laughing joking like the old days, you were my best friend in that house that night and it was the greatest the warmest feeling I could think of" Button's cheeks when red as it was physically hurting him to talk so openly and deeply to her as she was mere inches away from his face, she never turned away though, she held his hoof in both her own and listened to him, each word sounding pure and real.

"... Sweetie, what I feel for you... I've never felt for anything else, It's so strange and scary...that night I had you there as a person I could really feel things for...and when….'It' began, I felt myself explode with something raw and alien, I don't believe in stupid dumb shit things like love and passion and all that but….it was something I hadn't felt for anyone before or after, not Scarlet, not anyone, just you... And what pisses me off is I can't even explain 'what' it makes me feel, sick, sad and angry I guess.

Button took one final heavy exhale as the pain began to fade, he closed his eyes and spoke, his gut feeling like it was about to vomit on the hard cement ground.

“I... I love you, I know I shouldn't... I know it's wrong and nothing good will come out of it but... I love you, And the more time we spend together the harder it is to tell myself I dont love you”.

Button finished his cheeks stinging as he realised that hot stinging tears had been running down his face, unaware he was even crying.

Sweetie even after he finished speaking remained still and calm, taking deep breathes, still holding his stinging hoof in her arms, with a slow movement she released his hoof and leaned back giving a heavy exhale as she straitened her posture.

She began to speak, and button felt so weak being in this beautiful woman's presence.

"...hmm...You know I find it kinda funny, a few weeks ago I 'was' you, back at the end of lunch before all that stuff with backslash happened, I felt I needed to tell you how much I loved you so that in someway the universe would stop spinning and maybe we would slowly come closer.... I got my wish I guess, but not in the way I thought....or maybe exactly how I thought it would, huh... I tell you 'I love you' you tell me 'you love me' and it all just seems to be blank words that we say, I guess life has a funny way of spinning events in circles, what do they say again, history is doomed to repeat itself. Her toned was proper but heartfelt, she was the definition of composure, her eyes staring far outward into the city streets, into the vast blackness beyond.

"Button, I don't want to breakdown in tears here at a bus stop around some dingy mall, I want to approach this as objectively as possible, lock down my feelings for just a moment so I can say what It is I want to say....and here it is... I'm thinking and the same statement keeps buzzing around, You me and Scarlet... were in a triangle, but I don’t really think there's a clean line that links it all. Whatever 'this' is, will boil and blow out at some point, I think we can both see it coming, When I broke down In front of you I still felt that what I felt was one sided and that even though I was telling you my feelings you weren't really understanding them and that you were telling me the same but only to please me or I guess make me stop bothering you.It took for me to see you break your facade for me to understand what exactly our situation was, A gods damn triangle".

Button's was in awe hearing this, her demeaner so calm her voice so clean and eyes unflinching, He didn’t really know what to feel, this wasn’t the two of them again spewing out sweet pointless words at each other but more her making an observation on all of it, Button felt somewhat hurt that she was condensing his feelings into something so …. Rounded.

She slowly raised up both her arms and placed them on each side of Button's neck, looking at his ragged face with eyes so deep and emerald that button could see the soul of her being. The night air was so cold and her touch so warm it was almost painful to feel.

She began to speak, Button feeling terrified and afraid of what she would say.

"Button Ashley Mash, I love you….what I feel for you... now that we've been through all this shit feels really real, Those days and nights spent home from school I had to think about what was going on with me and what to make of you...and truth is... your kind, brave, compassionate and sweet, you can be extremely smart when you try and you have a inner drive so powerful I don’t think you know about it yet...but it's all there in that fragile broken and beaten head of yours, you have greatness and goodness in you I see it...please please remember that when things get pretty low. Next time you call me I want a definite answer... I know it sounds like the hardest thing in the world but please for the both of us next time you ring my number give me your answer on if you actually want to make whatever this is work. I will not be a point in this triangle, I refuse to. If you want to be with Scarlet than please call me and tell me you want to be with her, She's talented, smart and beautiful, she's got a genuine kindness that makes here unique and truly gorgeous... Stay with her if that's your choice, no doubt a girl like that can make you happy, But for the sake of Me and her you need to come to a decision. In the best world I'd hope you talk to her about it first and tell her everything...everything that she needs to know, I will not do it for you. I love you Button Ashley Mash but I truly need to know Wether or not you love me the same way, until then... B-Button Please don’t talk to me... I don’t think I could bear it, not until you've made up your mind".

With that Sweetie belle moved forward and locked her lips with Button's, the sweetness of her lips so soft and warm that button felt his body go numb, the world stopped again as the two tasted the mango smoothy on each others lips that seemed so sweet, Button almost quivered as she slowly pulled away her single kiss and nothing more, a small strand of saliva between there mouths that glistened in the florescent light behind them.

With a short shrill stutter of her breath she moved back into her seat and wiped her mouth, once more she left her eyes to stare into the far yonder. Button ran both his hoofs through his fringe and mane as he felt the weight of it all sink in.

Button and Sweetie waited for the Bus back to Ponyville, neither speaking as they stepped aboard and rode back home, both keeping to their word, both bleeding in pain on the inside.

Button bit down hard on his lip, He knew he needed to end this...it was killing him inside, but Gods know he didn't have a clear answer in his head, this wasn't about who he liked more but how he liked them both in different ways, Scarlet made him feel happy and loved while Sweetie made him feel europic and passionate. Both Mares meant something really special to him...But, he knew that this couldn't go on for any longer, Button Mash would have to make a choice.

Season 3 Part 3: The Party Has Disbanded.

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Season 3 Part 4: Disconnected

Author's Note

This one took a while and for that I'm sorry, it's a 50/50 thing for me when it came down to actually writing this one, it's a hardest hitting chapter I've had to write and I really didn't have much time to work on it, after part 3 I got a job as a youtuber, started university and got my own place. I realize the wait was bad but hopefully this chapter makes up for it, if things seem out of place and disjointed it was purposely put in to fit in with the theme of this chapter and it's title. the quote at the beginning is synonymous with the specific character's entire story arc to this point.

Season 3 Part 4: Disconnected

Stare into the abyss and eventually the abyss stares back.
Reach into the abyss and essentially the abyss reaches back.

Button sucked the last shallow dregs of smoke from his cigarrette as he sat leaned against a brick wall, infront his vision the flurescent antiseptic lighting of the late-night Canterlot burger joint. Button flicked away the crumbling ashy filter and took another bite of his vegeburger, the taste revolting him as it swirled in his mouth with the smoke and poisened saliva.
Soon he could hear echoed steps coming his way, looking towards who they belonged too Button saw nothing more than two mean-looking colts staunching in his direction.
“Hey kid, this is Wardogs turf you know that, why you standing around acting like you got something to hid” questioned the shorter one of the two street urchants.
“...” Button didn't say anything, in all reality he barely saw them as a threat, Button knew these colts wouldn't be able to do shit to him, they were just figments of his mind like everything else, they couldn't kill him, nothing could.
“What are you, some kind of spy for the highrollers huh, thinkin' you can patrol our streets taking names huh...huh?” the second colt spat, his ear half shredded with an black apple-sead tattoed under his eye.
“...Got a stick?” Button asked, eyes almost falling asleep, his hot breathe turning to white smoke in the cold air.
'What?” Muttered them both almost simultaneously.
“got a stick, a fag, a ciggy...Ive burnt through my whole pack already, I really need one...got any?” again asked Button Mash, sizing up both of them with a citrusy stare.
“you think your a smart ass or something” the shorter crook spat, Button rolling his eyes and the weight of the words.
“No Im just asking if you've got a smoke don't need to get fucking prissy about it”
Both of the hoodlems taking exception to that.
“You trying to be a big mouth huh, well we know how to deal with smart ass big mouth wannabe's like you”
The second colt pulled out a switch-blade and waved it around with a smile.
Button returned with a smile of his own, turning his head slowly and revealing the fresh burn on half his face.
“Careful bucko, you might poke your eye out with that thing” He joked.
“Fellan, grab this fuck-tard, I want to send him straight to the ER”.
The brown colt didn't even flinch as the larger colt aproached him parading around his letter-opener of a knife, dancing it about through the midnight air.
“Really, did you even think this plan through, you really think I'm just going to stand here and let you try and play GTA gangsta with me, You really have no Idea what I'll do to you if you touch me do you”Warned Button Mash with a straight (if somewhat amused) face.
“Whats the little baby gunna do...throw a punch?” Goated one of the two crooks.
“Na....Im going to tear a fucking chunk out your throat with my front teeth...really go to town on you ya know, that little butterknife ain't gunna do shit once Im peeling your face off with my bare hooves, wiping your shit-stain of a life off the face of existence” Grimly explained the brown earth pony, his eyes glinting bright yellow in sheen of distant streetlights.
The knife-equipped colt began to slow down his advance on Button, the realization that things may get gruesome if things are left to play out.

“you talk big don't ya kid, but words aint shit-”

“Them come at me, do it...I'll outlive both you morons, go on FUCKING DO IT! you'r not real...you'r nothing but character's in my head...you all are!, Who cares about anything...ain't no one gonna bother crying when you street urchins die!, I'll gut both you nags right here on the cold cement” bellowed Button, a strand of stray drool streaming from the side of his mouth, his eye's wild and lost.

The teenager despite his wiry frame and skinny build looked absolutely ragged. Dry blood stained his face and his right eye was wholey blood-shot compared to the left, his eye-sockets were deep and baggy while his hair was a mess of dirt and leaves. He had a hyena's look about him, like a psychotic jackal.

The two colts didn't move anymore forward, the first gang member backed off after Button flared his nostrils and snarled with a mouth full of jagged teeth.

“Come on...Do it...fucking do it...stop backing away you cowards!” Button spat, stepping forward.

“Oh we will...but uh, w-we don't have time to deal with some mental-case like you at some burger shop, you best watch yourself ki-”

“FUCK YOU!”, the brown teenager hissed,lunging forward at the knife-wielding colt and latching his teeth hard into the poor crook's arm, tearing bits of skin off as he dragged his jaw along the colt's forearm like a fillet knife across fresh scales.

“Oh Shit, OWWW, get it off get it off, Ouch FUCK!, my arm!”

The second colt picked up Button with all his strength and threw him forward, sending with him flying with a trailing paint-splatter of his friend's blood.

“Fellon, C'mon let get out of here!, His kids fucking pycho, OUWW...oh gods look at my fucking arm, sweet Celestria I can see my veins!”

“C'mon you little shits, stopping running away!” Growled the brown colt, spitting a mix of blood and saliva onto the cold black Canterlot concrete.

Button charged forward for a second time but both gang members bolted in the other direction, making it quite clear that they didn't want any more trouble, Button almost caught up with the wounded colt before the low-life threw his switch-blade at Button and clipped him in the leg, giving both thugs time to escape the creature that was Button Mash. With a slight hobble Button made his way back to the Burger shop where he saw a pale white Mare standing in the middle of the parking lot, a bright red hoody wrapped around her.

“Hey” called out Button, causing her the jump back in fright by his startling entrance and appearance.

“Jeez Button what happened to you, did Scarlet do this too you...you're all kinds of fucked up” Ghost asked, staring up and down at the teenage colt.

“I'll be fine, nothing a good time can't fix eh, so where are we heading?” Button told her, his front right leg dripping blood from his fresh knife wound.

“Well uh...It's kinda a secret, c'mon Ill drive ya there, I've got my scooter right round the front, I just need you too close your eyes for the trip there, for safety reasons you know”.

“You got to be kidding me, Im not riding bitch” Button moaned, wiping his hooves through his greasy hair.

“Excuse me macho man but last time I checked you barely know how to drive four wheels let along two, so hop down off that cross, use the wood to build a bridge and get the fuck over it!”

“Oh Ok fine, ….ouch!” Button cooed, taking a stride toward and latching at his wouldn't limb.

“you might want some bandages for that B” Ghost stated, noticing the weak beads of blood dribbling down the colt's arm.

“It's uh fine, here pass me your neck-band chocker you've got on....please”.

Ghost shot him a confused look then reluctantly un-clipped her Gothic accessory.

The colt covered his arm in burger napkins and wrapped it tight with the neck-band, Ghost began to feel uncomfortable around this twisted shadow of Button Mash, to her he seemed more bitter and nihilistic...well way more than usual. Ushering him over they hopped on the jet black scooter and rode off into the Canterlot streets, Button feeling the frosty cold winds pelting his face as he tightened shut his eyes.

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Both the two teenagers rode in awkward silence, Button's eyes shut tight and Ghost feeling somewhat jittery do the the large assortment of narcotics she was smuggling in her back-pack (strapped firmly to the side of the scooter). Button didn't really mind, all the cold air whipping through his mane cooled his head, somewhat numbing a migraine that didn't seem to leave, like a large white tick buried under the skin.

“Hey...Button?” Ghost asked, loosening her tight grip on the handlebars.

“Are you familiar with Macbeth?”.

The colt was confused by her literary question.

“sort of..we read it first term” He told her, bright beams of yellow street-lights running over his eyelids.

“We'll you can see parallels can't you?”

The colt was still very confused by what she was say (or implying more likely).

“Parallels with who...me...what am I Macbeth or something..oh...hardy harhar...look let's just go OK...Once this night's over I can just chill for once and forget all this shit”

Ghost wanted to break the thick wall of ice that hovered over tonight so she did the only thing she knew how, be aggressive and blatant.

“I know this is gonna trigger you but, come on it... was only a break up jeez”

The bike began to slow down and stop at an intersection, light webs of water spitting down from above, only seen briefly by the glow of the street-lights in the blackness of night, as if white tiny crystals dancing in the breeze for a short second before dying against the black roads below, neither of the two ponies noticed as they rode more into the darker parts of Canterlot.

“It's not just the break up...It's everything” Button exhaled in a brief moment of understanding, “It's all the ….the heat in the air, all the blood being spilt, all the moon-watching and all the fucking Loneliness at night , I...I don't feel like me anymore...I feel like I'm ... wrapped up in someone elses skin...or there wrapped up in mine, I dunno, I'm scared of what's going to happen, ya know?” Button finished, his sentence sounding delusional to Ghost but still containing a sliver of genuineness from the brown colt.

“What's happening to you?” She asked in a concerned tone.

“I'm taking control” Coldly said Button with an almost foreign look about him, his brief show of humanity now wiped off by that same poisonous migrain that crept around Button's head.

Ghost raised an eyebrow, though she couldn't see him she could feel his grip on her change.

“Are you sure B?, it kinda seems the exact opposite”

“I don't care Ghost, I don't care” He told her, his demeanor turning from cold to distant.

“You're not acting normal B, you're acting weird”

“And how do I normally act?” Button quipped at her. Ghost ignoring the snide remark and telling him anyway.

“you know,Happier, quirkier...not so....dark, it's like you've been infected somehow man”

Button gave a half-hearted chuckle.

“hmm, maybe your right...” he whispered to himself.

“what?”

“I said...hold on tight, your getting a bit shaky on your turns”

“Hey! Keep your eyes-”

“Yeah yeah I know, eyes closed”

Button could tell she felt uneasy, he wanted to break the icey mood so he did the first thing that came to his mind...a really.....really bad joke.

“Hey Ghost?” He asked in a more playful tone than the bittern one he had adopted.

“hmm what?” She replied, trying to not pay attention to him, rethinking whether she should have even made him the offer of tonight at all.

“what do dwarfs and midgets have in common?”

“what?” She replied again, grouchily.

“...very little”

suddenly the bike shook as Ghost started un-controllably giggling, Button latching on tight as she tried to steady herself whilst holding back her gleeful chortle.

“s..sorry about that” Ghost apologized, locking her hooves tight against the handle-bars.

“All good, all good, you know you're the first pony to actually laugh at that stinker of a dad joke” Button told her, feeling her body relax slightly in his arms.

Ghost gave another giggle as rode off down the streets.

The tension was finally beginning to break if minutely, But felt a little bit more warm inside, then immediately cast out a stray thought he had and turned his attention elsewhere.

*DADMMM*

*DADMMM*

Button held on tight as he felt the bumps and potholes of the road, not wanting to admit it Holding Ghost's hips so tight made him slightly aroused, thankfully not enough for the white mare to notice.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Ok, were here, watch your step” the mare told him, Button mash opening his eyes and hoping of the back of the scooter-bike, stretching his arms and legs with snaps, crackles and popped vertebraes.

The seemed to be parked in a dark alleyway, the only real lighting coming from a street-light far off.

“I hope your not planing to kill me here, it's a pretty shitty place to die” Joked Button, hacking some flem and spitting it into a pile of black garbage bags.

“Eh maybe later, well let me show you the 'Chateau de la drogue'” the white mare replied, unzipping her red hoody and walking over to a large frayed cardboard box box suited for a fridge.

His a light heave she pulled it aside and revealed a doorless doorway leading to a black abyss.

“That's the secret spot is it?” the Colt asked, cocking an eyebrow at her as she beathe hot white smoke into his hooves.

“Well it's not exactly the grand galloping galla...c'mon Ill show you around, not much to show though” Ghost remarked, leading him into the blackness, his only real thought being the delicious taste of those drugs she had.

Button reached out into the darkness and traced his arms along the wall, feeling his feet crunch against plastic bottles and unwrapped wrappers under his hooves. Vision only coming back once Ghost took out her phone and set it on 'torch mode', illuminating the room in a blue and white glow. It seemed they were in some sort of abandoned storage room and an old one at that, between the entrance and turn to one singular room were old blankets and refuse strewn out across the floor, old cigarette butts and disintegrated condom wrappers filling the sides, this place was a drug den plain and simple, the door entrance a cardboard fridge box and the door to the one room a nailed up pleat blanket with a cut running straight down the center.

“Nice Place eh” joked Button, opening his smoke package but finding not a single one inside. His smirk slightly dropping as he paced around the cramped hallway and into the blanket-covered room.

Inside was nothing But a large block of mattress bedding foam,a two by four block of wood, some bean-bags, two milk-crates and a plethora of graffiti littering the walls.

It's not anything special but in terms of getting fucking lit it's as safe as it gets, Bones and I usually come here when we find ourselves with some harder stuff rather than the usual green bud, the place won't be winning no awards but...It has a certain poverty-esc charm to it” Ghost acknowledged, stretching her body out as she walked around the room like it was hers.

“well I'll go get the goods from my bike, just sit down and make yourself comfortable, Ill leave the torch on if you need it, back in a jiffy”

“I thought we'd be somewhere...alittle more...inviting”

“we'll beggars can't be choosers”

“And what are you”

“Oi, Shut it”

Button sat down on the large rectangular sheet of foam, the thing was caked with alcohol stains and cigarette ash all topped up the pungent aroma similar to sweat and vomit, Button instinctual gave a throaty gag as the scent struck his nose. Looking around the cramp burnt out room, the colour at least by what Button could guess was a heavily faded milky green though years of age and decay and turned it into a soiled white with only the ghostly tinge of a green hue, as well on the walls were thousands of names, sentences, quotes and tags in inked or painted graffiti, the most resent a lip-stick drawn love heart with 'Ghostly Bones' written within. The ground was worst then the walls, it was a cracked and stained slab of concrete with a spectrum of multi-colored juice stains splattered around, to anyone this hovel, this warren of fifth and debauchery was unbearable...but to Button it was like any other box, a place to waist a bit more of his life.

Footsteps could be heard clipping down the hallway entrance.

Ghost lifted up the drape and put down on the floor a shabby school bag full of clinking glass bottles, Button gave his lips a smack as his heart-rate begin to increase at the thought of this smorgasbord board.

The mare then unzipped the front pocket and took out a zip-bag of apple slices.

“What are we baking a pie or something” scoffed Button as he eyed out the fruit.

“There zap-apples you dumbass, you eat these if you wanna stop the high, it's kinda like drinking coffee to fix a hangover, also if your fucking while juiced up and you chew one of these right at point of climax you'll have something like a monolithic orgasm that lasts five whole minutes, Bones and I creamed for like...”

“Ok I get it can we begin already, you said they'd help, lets just do this”

“Oi, I know your got your sorry ass turfed but it doesn't mean you can just talk shit on me, I'm doing his out of the kindness of my goddamn heart so show some graduate ok!” Ghost snarled, Button's face going soar like a child being told off.

“ok...ok Im sorry, I...I just feel...like I need this”

Ghost began to hesitate, scanning Button's face with stern eyes, he didn't look...like button, his face looked longer, mangier, broken and beaten, his eyes where like sour yellow lemons dully glinting in the cold whites of his eyes.

“are you...sure you want to do this Button?” she asked him, slowly and hesitantly unzipping the bag.

All Button did was give a simple nod, his face smelling faintly of milk and black tea.

The white mare took out a red bottle 4 long tubes labeled 'Red planet', an onion shaped bottle with a tag reading 'midnight black', 8 different viles of varying colors and a short glass skull shape with a copper engraved labeled proclaiming itself as 'Delight of the Green Stranger', a red waxy seal melted over the lid with an imprint of a coconut.

Button's eyes immediately darted to the stubby intricate bottle, reaching out his arm like an old spider he attempted to latch onto it but was denied his prey by ghost who wooshed his hoof away.

“Hold on, this one we'll save till last, It's my own private one I've been saving, 12 times more potent than normal green stuff.

Button almost hissed in spite but kept a cool face as instead he grabbed one of red viles and popped the stopper.

Ghost did the same, unclogging the tube and letting the concoction breathe, the cramp room filling with the pungent inebriating scent.

Button's mouth was salivating as he stared into the pinkish red liquid, itself glowing brighter and brighter like a burning metal coil, the drug den glowing both a beautiful pink and a visually arousing purple from both the viles, the fumes dancing like swingers as they mixed and merged into an intoxicating aroma more satisfying than sex and more fulfilling than food. Ghost and Button felt there minds beginning to buzz and the drugged cloud swimming in and out of there nostrils, licked there parched tongues with teasing vaporous particles.

Both looking to each other through the glow of the narcotics, they smiled and gave a celebratory clink of both viles, pouring the fantastical goo down there throats and falling back in a pool of estacy and euphoria.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^_^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Hey Button” Asked Sweetie belle, laying curled up against the young colt on her sister's couch. Chin resting on his chest and watching him stare at the joyboy screen.

“Yeah Sweets” He replied, still glassy eyes fixed on the pixilated platforming within his grasp, attention split between her and his game.

“What do you wanna be when you like...you know, grow up” the pearly white filly put forward, watching his face slowly contemplate the question, the last licks of afternoon light dying through the blinds of the boutique window.

The colt though hard on that simple almost basic question, never really going over it himself. Sweetie belle still looked up and stared at his face, riddle with the heavy burden of thought.

The afternoon sun outside finally sank into the endless sea of night before Button gave her a reply.

His mouth pursed a the right side like a weak smirk, a crooked almost sad smile.

“I think I'll be a clown when I get grown” Button finally spoke, quoting the current book him and Sweetie belle were reading in class. Sweetie's eyes rolling as he told her.

Button continued, his smile slowly fading more and more.

“Yes Sir, a clown. There ain't one thing in this world I can do about folks except laugh, so Im gunna join the circus and laugh my head off”.

Sweetie giggled slightly and began to play along, unaware of how serious Button's face was becoming.

“You got it backwards, Dill. Clowns are sad, it's folks that laugh at them” Quotes the white mare, her smile immediately disappearing when she saw that Button's face was deathly serious, unaware if even the colt knew it or not. Button without a smirk, a smile or even a twitch, with a face dead-panned and cold looked up through the window in front of them, beyond the TV, beyond the blinds and even beyond the mountains far over.

“Well...Im gunna be a new type of clown. I'm gunna stand in the middle of the ring...and laugh at the folks”

“Button can we not play this game anymore please, your scaring me, I don't like it”

Like the flick of a switch Button cracked his sullen face into a wide smile and ruffled her hair.

“Sorry Sweets, I was just...acting you know, um...a game maker, I like video games...so a game maker I guess, do what I love right” he told her happily, like a parent scaring their child and immediately trying to console them.

Sweetie Belle gave a sigh of relief as Button gave her a kiss on the horn and returned to his game, his innermost thoughts still beyond TV, Blinds and mountains.

“Laugh my head off”

“Laugh at the world”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^______^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^_^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^_^__^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^_^^^^^^^^^^_^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button wiped his chin as he downed his third vile, the blue liquid spiraling down his gullet and turning his vision a distorted rainbow, the dull paleness of the room now ablaze with swirling vortexes of star and planets, Button's tongue feeling like jello in his mouth.

Ghost just moved onto her second vile and drunk the drug in two sips, her body feeling like tingly kisses molesting her entire body, moaning croaks coming from her mouth as she rolled her head around and around in circles.

Both Ponies were drunk of the narcotic, both giggling and groaning, slurping and drooling, there heads drowned in the hallucinogenic haunt of the zebra-manufactured juice. The room to them was now a playground of monolithic cerebral architecture and spectral oceans of rainbow waters. The dingy and cold hovel was now the womb of there mind's exploration into the truly maddening and fantastical.

“So...B..Button, what gunna you d..do now Scarlet's ….poof, out of the picture” slurred Ghost slapping Button's theigh and falling backwards.

The Colt swayed back and fourth as if his head was filled with heavy lead.

“Who cares anyway...pffft....psshhtt, I don't needing no partner to make me feel like anything, all I need is...numero uno , yes-sir-e just me, it's all petty anyway...relationships don't mean nothing, either way they end...that's life” Button babbled, raising another vile up like a goblet and toasting to nothing.

“you know...me and scarlet used to go out the dam and stare out at the town...thinking what if the wall...cracked open or something and swallowed the whole place up...all those ponies, all those fillies and fowls...all gone in an instant, it's like our lives are so … insignificant in the grand scheme of...stuff, that...we...pffftt hahaha what are we talking about man”

“I don't need no one...I don't need not one person but me....I don't need....need....anything”

“dude I'm so fucking horny right now...hope you d-don't mind if I step out for half an hour...I would ask you if you wanted to have some 'fun' but I'm a c-committed mare ya now, Bones is my baby boy, OH!...we should get b..bonsy here, eh...where's my phone, shit never m..mind, Fuck man your so fucked eh...haha..well Ill be in hallway...n..no peaking ...ya perv haha”.
With that the pale white mare grabbed one of the empty tubes and hobbled out of the room, Button not listening to a word she said as he poured down his throat another poisonous toxin, causing his eyes to again explode in a psychedelic whirling pool of new ideas and senarios, new non euclidean cities and new interpretations of how gravity should work.

“BEHGLL...BAHAHA” Gargled Button as he rolled around freely on the disgusting foam mattress.

^^^___^_^^^^^^^^^^___^_^^^^^^_^^_^_^^^^^^^^^___^^^^^^^^^^^^^^__^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^___________________^________^___________

“Hey...man, do you ever like...wish you had a kid” Asked Button, lying in his sleeping bag facing up at the top of the tent, his arms folded behind his head.

Rumble pondered it carefully and gave an almost scholarly 'hmmm' as he thought about it.

“I sometimes kind of think it would be cool if me and Scoot had a kid, a little filly or colt, you know a little extenuation on your own genes, they get to grow up and learn stuff from you...ya know, I'm 15, I should probably be seriously considering it...but....That's a big burden for me and Scoot to bare, a kid aint cheap....ya know”

“I honestly don't want to have kids....they piss and shit and vomit and cry for no reason, and you cant tell them to stop pissing and shitting and vomiting because they won't understand...and even if they do they just start crying and shitting and pissing even more because you told them no, it's like a constant cycle of piss and shit and vomit and crying, then they grow up and yell at you that you didn't do a good job teaching them not to piss and shit and vomit and cry, na man, kids ain't for me” Button Admitted.

“true, but it's embedded in us to make kids, that's life”

“well don't you find that weird that we feel lonely if we don't have a partner and then we get lonely as a couple about not having kids then you have kids....and complain about how shit it is having kids and how you just want to be alone, then when the kids leave you get lonely all over again”

A cool silence fell over the two colts.

“Button your dropping some heavy shit for two in the morning, I guess my only reply would be that I'm no philosopher but I do enjoy spending time with Scoot and if she want's to have a little rumble/scootaloo cross-over baby to cuddle than that's fine by me, I'm a simple colt Button” The blue pegasus assured, rolling over and tucking deep into his sleeping bag.

“But...what if you think you wouldn't be a good father” asked Button Mash timidly.

“Then just think of what a good father would do and do it, it's parenthood not rocket science”

“yeah I guess your right” Button acknowledged, pulling up the lip of his sleeping bag as the cool air nipped at his shoulders.

“Hey Rumble”

“Yes Button”

“What would you do if Scootaloo broke up with you tonight?”

“Why did she say something to you!” Quickly asked Rumble, spring up and eyes going wide in fear.

“no no, just another hypothetical question is all” Button Mash re-assured.

The blue pegasus sunk slowly back down into his covers.

“Well....I guess I'd just...move on, is there any other real option there?”

“Would you be sad”

“I guess I would be”

“How long before you wouldn't be sad...when do you think the pain would go away”

“...” Rumble went quiet.

“my brother left yesterday, he moved off to phillydephia with his band”

“Sorry B-”

“can you answer my question, please...because I don't know”

“jeez um, way to load it on eh..heh....um, well I guess it comes down to....pre-ocupying yourself with other things...ya know”

“like games?” asked the Brown colt.

“yeah, like games, if your feeling sad just...play a game, flick on your console and just tune out eh?”

“ok...I will...I just...don't want to feel the hurt anymore, I want to forget it”

“come on man your acting weird”

^^^^^^^^^^^^____^^^^^_^__________^______________^___^______^^^__________________________________^____________________^________________________

“ARRRHHH!” yelled the brown colt as a burning rush came to his head, dropping the empty vile which smash against the weathered concrete floor.

Button's vision was a mix of throbbing red veins and blurry purple clouds, his heart began to accelerate like a jack-hammer, Button launching himself towards the shabby map toar open the zip-lock bag and crunched up the zap-apple slices in his mouth, the sweet juices flooding down his throat and immediately calming him down, again and again he jammed the magical fruit pieces into his gullet trying to stop what seemed an almost inevitable overdose it wasn't till the colt had eaten every last slice did he fell his brain finally start to cool down and heart begin to thump at a slower rate.

“ah...ah...uh...ah goddess...” huffed Button, beads of sweat flooding down the sides of his face and neck.

The room began to turn back into the dark dingy and dank hovel it truly was, making Button somewhat uneased by the silent hill-esc transition back to reality. Sitting himself back down he crossed his arms over his head and harshly gasped for air, his lungs feeling clogged with some invisible sickness.

“Ok...ok...no more, I'm done, I wanna go home...gods get me the fuck out of here!” he cried to himself, ruffling again through the shabby school bag he took out Ghost's phone, he hoped that she hadn't password locked the thing and with a quick press of a button Button hoped to call someone to pick him up and take him home. Button Ashley Mash...never made it home.

When the cellular device lit up Button saw the lock screen but even worst...he saw the picture accompanying it, a single image of Ghost and Scarlet, smiles on there faces and mounds of white snow sitting on there heads, Button saw how happy Scarlet was, how Beautiful she was in her scarf and face reddened by the cold...her bright magnificent blue eyes staring back at him, judging him, screaming at him to leave her alone, to die, to cease, Button hissed at the phone and threw it across the room, as if his anger was once again refueled by something as insignificant as a lock-screen image.

“Fucking Bitch!, Fucking Sweetie, Fucking Scarlet, Fucking Fuck them all, Fucking FUCKERS” Screeched Button in a guttural tone, his tone loud enough to end the pleasuring moans of Ghost and cause her to peek her head through the draped blanket.

In a fantastically stupid and idiotic move worthy of the highest fools and morons, Button in a brutish and violent fit lunged again at the bag, this time popping of every vile cork, stopper and lid, the 'Red Planet', the 'Midnight Black' and even the 'Delight Of The Green Stranger', the small drug den filled with a blinding irradiation of spectral colors. Ghost screamed out 'Stop' as she tried to grabbed button, the harsh illumination blinding her and her still inebriated body limiting her movements. It was too late, Button in a final act, Poured down his throat all at once the liquid narcotics, his bright yellow eyes now rolling into the back of his head as the shear chemical flood stopped his heart instantly.

^_^_^____^_________^__________^__________________________________^____________________________________________________^__________________________

Ghost yelled out hysterically as she preformed CPR on Button, Each thump she gave him sending a sea of frothy foam out his mouth, each dim attempt of his body trying to fight back to life shown only by the violent twitching of his limbs. Ghost began to cry as she tried with all her heart to resuscitate Button, his twitching and frothed gurgles the only indicator that he wasn't dead.

“Sweet Celestia don't die, don't die Button, oh fuck oh fuck!, please just stay with me, don't die” she blurted, her red-ringed pupils now drowning in tears.

Button's eyes were white as the moon and a flurry of multicolored foam and vomit arose from his mouth like floodwater.

“Don't die please...oh Goddess...stay awake please!”

Button wasn't responding...he was gone.

__________^_____________________________^__________________________^______________________________________________________________________________

Button Mash awoke inside a hellish nightmare, a tormented realm of darkness, of horrific sights. He tumbled down staircases of broken spines, fell a thousand feet from rectangular black monoliths and looked up to the blood red sky too see a bleeding eyeball staring back at him like a gorrish moon. Around flames burned and sirens and yelling and grotesque groaning screeched out from beyond the darkness, Button wondered if he had died...if he had finally made it to hell.

And Hell if was, a un-consivable dimension of horror and sadness, looking around Button saw nothing But tall black rectangular monoliths that stretched up like skyscrapers, interpretations of tar roads and streets spewing along threshing torrents of crimson blood. Above the sky was a bold bright red that harbored only that abominably large eye, a large knife-like slit-wound from top to bottom of the circular ever-staring eye that flooded a nightmarish waterfall of black and scarlet blood onto the wasteland below, Button tried to run but he couldn't move, his body was firmly planted in spot like a rooted tree.

The sounds were unbearable, screams of all kinds could be heard accompanied with the sound of roaring fires, screeching sirens and deafening distant gunfire.

The smell was uncomprehending, stenches of all kinds spewed from every square inch around Button, congealed blood, rancid meat and sulfuric aromas flooded Button's nose, Wet shit and decomposing matter, hot vomit and bubbling putrid acid.

Button tried to scream out, not for anything in particular but just more as a way to put into some form the inconceivable eldritch horror he was witnessing, but the scream was silent, overpowered by the cacoffiny of audible torment.

Soon a faint sound of crushing, screeching, waning Metal began to draw in, from the heavy black fog just in-front of Button 'it' came nearer and nearer, each metallic hiss tearing at Button's eardrums, cutting them to shreds, jerking side to side Button couldn't do anything but stand as a ghoulish gelatinous shadow approached him, it hobbled painfully closer and closer, as if it was broken. Button at first thought it was some large blob of undefinable matter till two large gibbous white eyes opened up and stared back. A bloodcurdling sway to the abomination as it moved with a swagger, a horrific wide gaping mouth appeared from below the white eyes, shaped as if like a gaping vagina.
The slug-like creature's genital-shaped orifice slowly protruding out like a snail's eye and began sluggishly navigating itself above the brown colt, dripping black putrid juices onto the boy and vioently pulsating like a lung, the gaping mouth began more and more engorged. Suddenly and horridly the orifice engulfed button in sea of hook-like teeth and rubbery lubricated black flesh, an overpowering scent of rotten fish filling Button's nostrils as the creature swallowed him whole, His feet however still rooted to the ground.

feminine moans and wails began to elate from the black abominable moving nightmare.

Button felt each hook-like tooth latch onto his body, pulling at his skin as it convulsed madly, a thick pungent gruel spewing over Button's body and he was being forcefully jerked up and down within, the heat inside an unbearable boil.

His skin burned, his body seared as the fleshy walls gaped and tightened in rhythmic movements, sliding Button up and down, up and down, drowning him in a tar-like secretion that felt unholy to the touch.

Soon the convulsions became faster and faster till in a intense and abrupt wail Button was spewed out from the creature, his body stuck in place whilst coated in a thick pool of reeking sludge.

Then as if satisfied the grotesque lumbering creature trotted off, swinging it's weight side to side like bloated hips.

In a weak and disheveled state Button angled himself back up and spewed from his mouth a thick syrupy mass of fish-scented secretions, shaking and crying as she felt his body freeze up.

“Was It good for you Button?” came a devilish voice from behind, Button Mash feeling a firm grip on his shoulder colder than ice ever could be.

Jerking his head backwards Button saw...a haunt, some sort of creature that made Button's heart go cold.

It was ... Button Mash, But taller and with a more muscly figure, a mix of smarts, seduction and swagger encompassing his presents.

The brown colt had a cocky nature too him as he wiped the thick black slurry from the tormented brown prisoner's face and shoulders.

“Haha, you like her, she's a real cutey isnt she?” the imp joked.

“W-What is that, what are you, where am I, gods help please..help me” Blurted out Button (the real Button) as he tried to lift his hooves but again realization came that he was firmly planted to the ground.

“Oh shush, whingeing ain't gunna work were you are, to answer your question, that lovely creature you just interlocked with is a personification of one of your thoughts, a sexual desire maybe, a deep truth about you that you lock away and try to hide...hmmmm....actually I'm somewhat curious,tell me does she remind you of anyone, a friend, a lover...maybe even your own mother, eh it doesn't matter because here is where all your machinations fester young Button, where everything that lurks around that head of yours lives, Welcome to the party”

“WHERE AM I” the brown colt yelled out in terror.

“Your own mind, where else would would look this insanely fucked up, to help you understand think Silent Hill...the second one, basically the exact same scenario as that, does that put things into perspective?”

“Am I dead, is this hell?” asked Button Mash (again, the real one), his eyes darting around the red tinted hell-scape.

“I dunno, I suppose it is, Honestly I'm not qualified to ask that question, I'm just another personification of you roaming the endless cease pit that is your brain, I'm the part of you representing the you that you want to be, call me Lenin, I'm you....but better” the snide colt affirmed, Giving Button a pat on the back.

“What's...what's going on!”

“I'm not sure why your asking, you already know why, it is your brain after all, not some mystery novel, figure it out yourself, it's not my job to interfere...though watch out...that new fella that moved in has turned this place something nasty, twisting mental screws and polluting brain waves, I'd stay away from him if I were you, oh...and remember Button, do try to stay safe, because I think...you may....be...slightly...dead, brain dead that is, kinda sucks for all of us actually living in your brain, guess your body's still shutting down or something, anyway enjoy what time you've got left, adios mi amigo”. With that Lenin walked off into the blackness, just as abrupt as when he entered, his hoof-steps sloshing and splashing in all the blackish blood.

Button was still terrified, he still couldn't move his legs, all he could do was listen to the ungodly noises coming from the dark fog beyond, mad jibbering, sexual moaning, crying, screaming and the sounds of things heaving themselves through the foot high blood that flooded the ground.

As far as Button was concerned he was in hell, but even here....in the blighted depths of hell...things got worst for Button Mash.

A breeze, a strange unnatural and foreign breeze blew between the monoliths and cut through the sulfuric stenches and bloody torrents like a knife, wrapping it's cold tendrils around Buttons body in a constrictive black tornado.

A wispy femine voice came from the breeze, a face to the voice indeterminable but somewhat similar to the higher pitched tone of Sweetie Belle.

“Close you're eyes Button...the sleeper and the dreamer are on equal footing for tonight, it's OK I swear, please Button...close your eyes, for me”

“waa...whhhh” Button felt his head go woozy as the breeze flooding down his nostrils and into his body, blackening his vision and leaving a final syllable on his ears, that of a malevolent faint laugh.

His feet soon felt loose, un-rooted and free, he felt …. different, the same but...different.

He felt that he was no longer in that red and black nightmarish world...but he did feel...that he was going...deeper....deeper into hell maybe, like a child descending into the basement of an old abandoned house.

Deeper down the dreamer dives, the sleeper emerges from the trench he hides.

^_____________________________________________^________________________________

“What the hell, why isn't he waking up, you fed him zap-apples right?” Asked the spikey haired colt, taking his ear off Button's chest, his eyes still white balls in his skull.

“He ate them all before he OD'd, please just give him more of yours Bones, please!” cried out Ghost, shaking Button violently.

“Ain't no use babe, I've put six in him already, it's not working...he's....er...he's gone ok”

The Colt gave her a grim.

“Oh goddess...he's... dead isnt he...oh shit oh fuck , what am I gunna tell Scarlet..oh celestia!” Shrieked the mare, clutching at her chest.

“Ghost...does anyone know you were here with him?”

“Wha...no....no your not even considering it are you Bones?”

“Please answer me, I need to know, is there anything tracing him to you” Questioned Bones, scanning every inch of the derelict room.

“N-no”

“Ok, babe....I know you don't want to here this, but he's fucking dead, I can't hear any beat...He's dead”

“Don't say that” She barked back.

“Ghost go get in my coach and turn on the radio, Ill take care of him”

Her eyes became wide and frightened.
His face still the same look of calculation and grimness.

“Bones, please ...we...we can just ditch him at the hospital”

“We can't risk camera's....Ill put him in the dumpster just up the alley, remember babe..you were with me tonight, same as when we sneak out, same excuse as always got it?”
She gave him more more pleading look, staring at the lifeless brown colt than back up to him.

“Bo-”

“Got it!?” He affirmed, more fear than anger in his tone.

the terrified white mare gave a nod and ran out of the burnt out building and sat inside Bones's Coach, panicking as she lit up a cigarette and turned on the radio.

The metal-pierced colt picked up what was left of Button Mash (as well as any evidence) and carried it all towards the dented rusty dumpster up the dark alleyway, Button's lifeless head bobbing back and forth like a lifeless bag of meat.
Heaving open the metallic box of putrid watery garbage he tossed the shabby bag, empty viles and the remains of Button Mash into the Dumpster, THUD!, and ran back to his coach, Bones and Ghost like scared children driving off into the night.

The alleyway was now silent, a concrete cemetery with a rusted metallic grave.

No moonlight but only the distant illumination of streetlights to act in it's wake.

Button...had come to his final rest, after so much had happened and so much was so dearly achieved, Button Mash died in a drug Den and was buried in a metal coffin of three month old food scraps and broken alcohol Bottles, of cigarette butts and brown garbage water, around the corner of a brick-work-wall with an unlit neon sign proclaiming the abandoned building the 'Crimson Hearts Club'.

______________________________________^__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Button Mash sank deeper and deeper into the blackness, not one weak drop of light to point him in the direction of the surface, he descended, right to the bottom of the ocean that was his mind, so black, so lifeless.

The sinking felt as if it went on for infinity, eternity and evermore on-wards from that, ever so picking up more and more momentum as he sank deeper.

Soon the voice returned, But no longer was it the alluring and warm sound of Sweetie Belle, this time it was Deeper and more Throaty, and wholly more terrifying and familiar than even Button's own voice.

Like a leach the words latched at him and seemed to weigh him down even more.

“Feel my pain dreamer, feel my fear...feel what it feels to die Button Mash, no more head games and coxing...no more distant whispers...now...dreamer...ya meetin' face ta face....with da boogy mon”.

Button opened his eyes, he felt his whole body falling faster than before, not sinking but falling as if he had broken through the oceans depths and right down into the core, his stomach churning like waves against rocks, around him was blackness and fire then as he looked forward he saw something truly horrifying, he saw himself, eyes torn with fear and face purple and beaten.

There was a screeching whistle in Button's ear that blocked out all noise, all he could do was turn his head down to see were he would land. And then it hit him, and then he hit it.

The dumpster. Button was reliving the last moments of...the zebra...of Guy.

SNAP

Both Button's legs snapped like bamboo, every rib cracked in two and his spine indented into the metal container.

Things Became Blurry.

Using all the strength he could, Button released a blood-gargled croak of pain. He could feel blood bubbling up from his punctured lungs.

As if like a reflex Button Mash twisted his head and shot an eagle gaze at a brown frightened colt lying confused on a pile of crushed boxes. A deep primal feeling of hatred Taking over Button's body.

“YOU!” Button spewed out, launching himself of the twisted metal dumpster and onto the hard concrete ground, his body slamming against it with a thud.

Above Button Mash could hear the sound of metal waning.

“LEAVE ME ALONE” Cried out the teenage colt, unable to move, his expression that of pure fear.

Button had never felt so much deep hatred for another creature before, he wanted to peel away that young colts flesh, to pull and snap every organ and bone the child had.

In a contorted and ghastly heave Button Mash clawed His way towards the colt, blood and vomit oozing from his nose and mouth, his vision filled red with blood and concrete dust.

“I...AINT GUNNA DIE!” Spewed Button, his face snarling, his lower spine protruding from his back like a gorish stegosaurus, he using all the strength he could scrapped his useless meat-sack of a body towards the terrified child.

SNAP.......*SLAM*.

Button Mash stopped, his entire body went completely still, his heart went silent. Red, red , red blood everywhere.

His vision returned, Button looked forward at the colt but couldn't move his head, he was completely paralyzed, through the bottom of his vision he could see a metal rod protruding from him,spitting out red streams of blood everywhere like bursted balloons, he knew there were others, other metal bars, impaled all the way up his body, the blood was now pooling black in the nightmare.

“Blllgggg” gargled out Button, his tongue feeling like a numb wet bit of rubber.

The colt in front of him stood tall now, his hooves being swallowed up by the black unending blood. He
seemed to be smiling, grinning, his mouth upturned as if in a state of nihilistic laughter.

Button weakly gargled out for help, nothing but more blood streaming out his mouth like a tap.

More and more the black nightmarish blood flooded the floor, it's form congealing at the young colt's legs and climbing up his body like tiny webs, engulfing the Brown colt in a black and red layer of gore.
There was now only the impression of a pony in front of Button Mash now.

Then...the blood stopped, it began convulsing and churning like a horrific black sea and set itself ablaze in yellow ashy fire, burning up the colt's legs and engulfing him alive.

As the black form burned away Button saw who the colt now was, In front Button Ashley Mash now stood the insidious shape of Guy Bartholomew Tiberius Guangee , his eyes glowing a nuclear yellow, his teeth smiling with a ghostly white shine.

“Hello once more, Mista Mash” He crowed, lowering his head to eye-level with Button's, whose body was nothing more than a tragic heap of broken bones and leaking external bowels.

“I know, I know....what's going on ya thinkin', ya supposed to be dead, well let me tell ya mon, my body's as dead as doornails boy, but muh mind...lived on through you.... you maga hat glamity”

Button tried to scream but again could only gargle and drool stupidly.

“ah ah, don't be sayin' noothin' boi, I'll answer ya question anyway, I know you're.... dyeing to know how I'm here right now.... see a Boy like me learns imself a few tings growing up, little spells, little sayin' says from old muddas witches. Zebra juju don't work like Pony juju, it has to stew about for a while, like cancer.”, Guy's body was emitting a black and yellow fog from behind, it smelt like burning wooden houses, as he spoke Button could hear faint screams in his voice, women, children, crying, screaming.

“See I was knockin' about ya brain-pan for a good long while before I could start growing strong, thankfully ya started to loose ya mind, half my doin' but non the less enough ta be letten me start mah my climb up ya psychee, took a lot to get you weak enough, get you were I needed ya, but well...here we are, I'd say give yaself a pat on tha back...but, doesn't look like you'll be doing that right now hehaha”.

“wha..t...y'gone....do...t'me” spat Button, his head feeling like a smashed blender,tearing up his brain.

“Well, can't let you come out of dis alive now can I, if I wan't total control of ya bod then I'll need to seal up all loose ends....and you Button are as loose and end as any, sad to say I'll be killing you right quick pretty soon now”.

“N..no...nnnnnnoo” Mumbled the colt, his body getting weaker and weaker, “You...cant...no”.

“Ha...oh I will mah little man, ta be honest your getting the best deal outta this, a..... well 'moderately' quick death, tell ya once I'm walking about out there Ill be making changes, taking back my city, taking back mah empire, killing those leeches calling themselves gangsters, hell ...Im even planning on fucking that mommy of yours, she right good twat ya know, I'll fill er up good and blow her brains out of er skull, maybe do the same with that little Sweetie thing of Yours, gods she was a right good fuckiddy fuck wasn't she, tight and warm...don't makem like that anymore haaah”, the Zebra laughed on, ruffling his silver platted hoof through Button's matted mane.

“Well I've had mah fun, let's not be postponin' it no longer little bandulu, I've got me a big comeback ta make out there in tha land of tha livin'...just stay right here hmmmm”.

with that the tall Zebra got up and walked out of Button's limited view, hearing him whistle 'Don't worry be happy' as he picked up something made of stone.

Button tried to moved, Button couldn't move anything other then the muscles in his face, he knew what was going to happen next, flinging and jerking his head back and forth he tried tragically to escape.

“Poetic ain't it Mista Mash, Im gunna kill you same way you killed me...With a good old brick to the brain, try not to squirm, Imma only take a bit off the top haha”

Button tried to escape, he thrashed and screamed,yelled, cried and pleaded with tears flooding down his eye's as the Zebra took a stance in front of him, lifting up with two hoofs the stone red brick, a disjointed masochistic smile on his face. A guillotine ready to drop.

This was it.

This....was it.

Button closed his eyes tight, his eyeballs burning, tears flooding and saliva dribbling down his lip. He thought of his friends, his family, Rumble, Sweetie, Karen, Scootaloo and Applebloom, Manga, InkSpot and 8Bit, Ghost and Scarlet...His brother, His bus driver, His grandparents and his teachers,The Moon he would gaze at on sad nights, the warm hum of his PC in the middle of the night, the soft seats of the school library and the warm hug of Sweetie Belle when they would lye in bed together.

All those little moments...gone....like tears....in the rain.

“Time to die” Accepted Button, the Brick coming down and cracking Open the young boy's skull, he flinched up and saw the evil in Guy's eyes as he again brought a blow down on Button's head, destroying any top skull left and turning all vision in the left side of Button's eye off, Everything was now blurry, like staring through ocean water, just like at the beach...the swimming....the friends....the love.

CRACK
CRACK
…
..
.
CRACK

“haha it's Game over Mista Mash!”

CRACK!!!!!1!!!1!!!@#$%^&*()_+ 01000010 01110010 01100001 01101001 01101110 01100100 01100101 01100001 01100100

Player one has disconnected, please input player two.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“ARRRHHH!!” Screamed out Button as he shot awake inside the dumpster, foam thick on his lips and garbage water now soaked through his hair.

“wha...what..where...am I?” He clumsily asked himself, banging his head on the metal roof and eventually heaving it open.

The brown colt stumbled as he hoped out and onto the cold ground below, his body still violently twitching and shaking.

Looking around Button soon found out exactly where he was, he could see the unlit sign, the dingy back-alley and the police-tapped doorway. He wiped his hooves through his mane as he took a deep breath in, the distant city smell of distant fire and sulfuric gunsmoke filling his nostrils.

“Hhmm..hahmmmm....ha..haha...HAHAHAHAHA...HAARAAAHAAARUHAHAHAHAHAUHA!” Violently Laughed the colt, doing a small jig as he breathed in mountains of the thick air like it was alcohol, getting him drunk on the chaos.

“Well...ain't dis a funny turn of event eh” He joked, scrambling through his mane and taking out his wallet, pulling out a single golden bit and going to the nearest payphone.

RING RING
RING RI-”Canterlot Waste Management center, how may I take your ca-”

“The beetles are flying everywhere I need them removed, Mr Refusus, Urgent” Button told the receptionist.

“Hold on Sir, Ill buzz you in right away”

On the other end came a tired disheveled groin of a voice.

“Ermm...who is this calling me this late?”

“Franky...It's Guy, I need a pick up, Im at da club”.

“What kind of shit is this!”.

“It's all gud mon, Used the final flight spell Franky, I'm ere now, get me...we've got to snub out this rat race, I'll explain ta ya the whole situation soon”.

“Listen bloke,I ain't got time for-”

“Franky, if you cook peppers in the tomato paste the flavor-”

“Enhances the dish...look I have no idea what's happening but If that 'final flight' magicians act of your did work....err....fuck ...ok, Im sending a truck out to your location, fuck Guy if that is you...shit's gotten bad”.

“Relax, I'm back, Tell ya driver to look for a young brown earth pony, that'll be me, I'll tell ya about it when I get ta ya....oh and get ready Franky boi, were gunna end dis pissy gang war, I've got me a plan, a grand...grand plan hehehahahahaha!”.

The brown teenage colt cackled like a gluttonous crow as the city of Canterlot prepared to burn, the flames would soon engulf the streets and the roads would run red with blood. Hell on Equestria was about to began, lead by a zebra in a brown colt's coat.

The Sleeper now roams the waking world.
in the Dreamer's flesh now flayed unfurled.

the Dreamer forgotten, submerged and dead.
buried at the bottom, no tears to shed.

Who can now fix what has come to plague.
Cometh an inevitable war of blood and rage.

follow the final steps of how the dead martyr's fell.
Learn of him, return for him, player two;
Sweetie Belle.

Grand Finale Part 1: The Players.

BUTTON MASH: HIGH SCHOOL LIFE GRAND FINALE.
Part 1 : The players.

“N-no....errm......mmm...errrhhh...ah....ahhhhh...no...no!” moaned Button mash, restlessly turning in his sleep, eyes tearing wide open as he shot up from his bed, rubbing his face madly as he took deep dry breaths, beads of sweat forming around his temples.

Beside him awoke Sweetie belle, her form barely visible in the dim blue of night, she sprung up and darted her eyes around the colt's room, looking at Button's terrified face with startled confusion.

‘what is it, what happened?”

The colt’s shallow breaths began to quiet down as she put her arm on his shoulder.

“It’s..nothing, just a....a nightmare, that's all, sorry for waking you up”

Sweetie couldn't quite see the colt face but she could hear his shrill breathing, like a small child running perpetually from a large black dog, gasping for oxygen.

“you sure Button, you sound pretty awful” asked Sweetie, rubbing his back giving him a slight comfort from her warm touch.

“It's fine...I just need a moment”

Button lifted up the blanket and weakly slid off the bed onto four legs, trotting over to the half cracked window, gulping up the foreign strands of cold night air.

“What did you dream about?” Sweetie asked with concern, whatever dream Button was having had rattled him hard.

The colt wiped his eyes, either from sweat or from tears.

“An ocean” he told her.

The Young mare slid herself up from the bed and tied her frazzled pink mane up,

“An ocean?”.

Button gave another shrill inhale of air.

“I dreamt I was...sinking...through an ocean, dropping down deeper and deeper until I couldn't breathe, everything just...kept getting darker, I tried to swim up but I couldn't, it was like I was a corpse sinking forever down into the empty blackness, goddess I was....I don't think I can...explain what the feeling was, but It was so....real, so....close to me”
Button rubbed his eyes again as the room began to feel like a sweltering sauna, he opened the window fully and gulped down the icy night air which cut at his throat like a razor, the frost-bitten breeze nipping at his face.

Sweetie belle could hear him whimpering, Button wasn't known for showing emotion, but in this moment she saw him terrified, truly terrified, slightly leaning out the window shivering as glittery tears fell from his reddened eyes, he was utterly and wholeheartedly terrified.

“....” The young filly (barely into mare-hood) tried to call out to him but her voice seemed lost in her throat, she was scared as Button was scared, she slowly lowered back down into the colt's bed and pulled the covers up to her shoulders, tightly closing her eyes and trying to fall asleep as her partner shivered and wept by the window sill.
Button finally returned to bed eight minutes and twenty seven seconds later, taking one last look to the moon outside then sliding carefully back into bed, trying even more carefully not to wake Sweetie (though she wasn't sleeping).

Button lay in his bed listening to his own breathe, the dead of night seeming to last forever, that dream to him was something so vivid and real, the gray swirling clouds, the lapping blackness of the sea, the empty abyss below the waters, no life, just true blackness, it was a terror that latched at Button's heart and pulled at him coldly, to him it was like a memory, a premonition's death rattle.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

On a tall hill overlooking Canterlot stood an even taller more expensive villa, white stone walls and tall green hedges, a stalwart slack-jawed guard on each corner of the mansion and a security camera on every wall face.
Overlooking the city was a long white balcony with two ponies sitting atop expensive patio furniture, one an old red unicorn and the other a young brown colt.

The brown colt sat lounging with a glass of whiskey in one hoof and a scribbled-up notepad in the other.

The unicorn looked to the colt who looked to him and then back to the note-pad, a disinterested expression on his face as he jotted in a few more lines before the silence was broken.

“So...uh Guy..how's this gunna go down then, this plan of yours” The gruff red unicorn asked, rubbing his eyes as the air was chill and the hour was ungodly.

The brown colt gave a slow blink as he sipped his liquor almost calculatively.

“It’s quite Simple mon’ he began, the voice nowhere near matching his face.
‘ we get everyone all togetha inna room...a restaurant or a conference hall , give da illusion that were hashin' out our problems, fixing this power-struggle with us all’.

The colt’s piercing yellow eyes kept frantically darting between the Unicorn’s gaze and the inky notepad.

‘I want everyone there Quincy, Zim, ThunderHoof, kibbles, Helga, Pinkie Pie and any other rats who vomited themselves up while I was gone, make sure they're all togetha in one place” Button Mash told the grizzled mobster eyeing out the city below with a ghoulish level of disdain, his voice slipping in and out of pitch and accent.

“How the hell are we gunna get every top-cat in Canterlot, many of whom hate each-other like the plague and all have beef between them...all of them cats sitting together in one place, It's ridiculous, you could see from a mile away that it would be a hit job”

“They'll be showin' up because of two reasons, one, I and you will be there in that room as it all goes down, no guns, no guards”

“The fuck!’ the unicorn blurted out ‘what do you mean no guns or guards?’

‘I be meanin' that we won't be having any of our own guys on premise, everyone can bring there own cronies and their own firepower, make em feel real safe, as well they get to send fellas before-hand to scope out the building, search for traps, recorders, bombs what have you, give them all da illusion of control...when it all goes down it'll be so sudden they wont even know”

The other pony wasn’t convinced.

‘Are you a fucking madman Guy, what'll stop them from ending us before we even attempt to end them, no guards, they'll practically own the place”

“exactly, give them every possible detail so they can construct their own little plan, be it blastin' me through on the way down, planting a bomb in my ride or poisoning the meals”

“Yeah?” agreed the mobster, not understanding Button/Guy's point.

“Make plans under the assumption that ya enemy is also makin' plans within your plans then you can plan around their plans”

The red gangster had a confused thousand yard stare about him.

“OK, and what’s the second point?” he quickly asked, trying to save face.

“they'll show up, they'll have to, because guess who we'll have sitting alongside everyone else in that room,

“who....wait....wait no, no, not who I thinking?”

“...Whiplash” coolly said the brown colt.

“WHA..no..NO...he wouldn't even show, and what are you planning to do with him anyway.no no..ice the 'Canterlot Crime King' himself, like I understand taking out the other houses...but the Godfather of the whole damn empire?”

The colt’s demeanour didn’t change, his gaze was like steel and his eyes like acid.

“Saul trusts me, Saul respects me and have no doubt that I in turn fully respect him, But if this grand plan Ive got brewin’ is going to work they're can be no unknowns in the picture, I don't know how Saul will react when tha hammer falls and that makes him an unknown, mark my words, he gave me control of this town because he trusted that I'd keep this empire runnin’, if it's gunna keep runnin' then Im gunna have to cull out all competition, past and present”

“Guy I'm with you on this but jeez, This'll stretch further than just Canterlot, take out Whiplash and you'll have Manehatten, Los pegasus maybe even outer-equestrian Crime-families coming for blood, it's a death wish”

“I know the risks...and the costs...But Ive had to make harder calls than this...I swear ta ya on that, I've been thinking this out for a good long while now and I've got every little detail covered, With Saul going to this meeting not one Mafioso down in that city is gunna miss this”

“What about their own gangs, once word hits that the slate's been wiped then they'll all be out on those streets blasting on one and other, It'll be nothing less than all out chaos”

“Good, let dem kill each-other, saves us da bullets”

The red unicorn slid his whiskey glass between his hooves, hedging his bets and what would happen, Franky Refusus wasn’t a top player in the game but he made a name for himself cleaning up the houses crap...not starting it, but Guy had a look in his eye, some sort of look that said that this was just the beginning of something bigger, and Franky did not want to get on the bad side of those wicked eyes.

“Hmmm...ok, w-what’s the next step from here Guy”

‘All I need from you Franky m’boy, a helicopter and ah fully loaded automatic gatling gun’

‘Wha-’

“Now as for tha plan, Room 246, Heaven & Helios Hotel, Ive already booked it for tonight, send word out ta every kingpin and Mob-boss in Canterlot, give em my number if they have any concerns on da event or mah miraculous resurrection...or if they wanna know squat shit about anything else then they can call me, this 'WILL' be happening, if even one or all of em says no ,tonight we torch their houses to the ground”.

“Do we have a confirmation on Whipla-”

The teenage colt lifted his hoof up in a shushing silence as he flipped open a cellphone and began to dial, beads of sweat rolling profusely off the red drug-baron's cheeks.

“Saul, It's me... Guy...I'm alive”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Hello darkness, my old friend. I've come to talk to you again. Because a vision softly creeping. Left it's Seeds while I was sleeping.”

“And the vision that was planted in my brain, still remains.”

“Within the sound of silence”

“No no that's not right, Within the sound, sound, s-s-ssssound of Si-lence”

“Eh shit”

“Sweetie! Will you be quiet, it's far too early for you cacophonous singing right now, leave it for at or after school please!” Rarity called out, the distant sound of a hairdryer accompanying her.

“Hey I don't complain about you're cacophonous farting, now do I thunder-thighs” Sweetie called out in reply. An angry gasp being heard from the distance.

“That Is not a very lady-like thing to say” Rarity bursted out.

“Then slap a dick on me and call me Jeff because this song's due Friday and It needs to be perfect”

“ERR Fine, just keep it down Missy, there are people still trying to sleep arou-!”

“Thank you” yelled out Sweetie, falling backwards into her desk chair and digging into her now soggy bowl of rice bubbles.

Hmm, what is it missing, I’ll have to listen to it again” Sweetie Belle asked herself, putting her headset on and listening to the tune, twirling her mane around with her right hoof as she lazily scooped up breakfast with the left.

SWTTTIEE
SEETEEE
SWETTT
SWEETII

Thomp!

Sweetie jumped up in her chair as Rarity yanked the headphones from her ears.

“Sweetie, Karen Mash is here, she needs to ask you something!” Rarity asked, her face slightly worried rather than its typical hard-pierced aggressive manner, Sweetie didn't know what was going on but by the look in Rarity's eyes it wasn't good.

‘Uh sure?’

Trotting into the front of the store Karen was awkwardly sitting on one of the plastic guest seats uncomfortably tapping her hoof on the floor, As Sweetie Belle approached the older mare she quickly got up and and looked as if she was about to beg, her eyes red and deep.

“You uh wanted to see me Karry?” Sweetie questioned cautiously, her white face a mix of confusion and mild dread.

“Sweetie please I need to know, have you seen Button, He said he'd be home last night but he never came...I don't know where he is”

The mother’s face looked grim, her mane was messy and her breath smelt like smoke and scotch.

“Missing oh gosh, um no sorry, not that Im aware of, have you tried -”

“Scarlet, yes, I asked her father but he told me that he threw Button out around six, apparently there was a nasty breakup and...I don't know where he is or even if he's OK, I came here hoping he may have at least messaged you”

The older mare had eyes like un-earthly planets, staring wholly at Sweetie for some comforting answer or information that the white mare just didn't have, Sweetie didn't know how to respond.

“S-s... sorry I don't know, is he at Rumble's?”

“I tried Rumble's house, He told me he hadn't seen Button since yesterday, I...it could be nothing but by the way he's been acting lately....I'm not sure, I can't go through this again.

“Karen I..I” Sweetly Belle began to stutter, truly lost for words.

The old mare closed her eyes calmly.

“It's ok Sweetie, I understand, could you please just ask around and message a few of his friends, Like I said it could just be nothing...I don't want to worry anyone”

Sweetie belle still sat thinking as Rarity helped karen up and offered her a coffee, both the two old friends sharing comforting banter as the omnipresence of 'worry' flooding between all three mares.

Eventually Karen Mash said her goodbyes and left, Sweetie Belle still sitting in the uncomfortably firm chair, her brain skipping a beat as she tried to process the situation.

Missing.

Sweetie felt ill.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Hey Bitty, it's Rumble, uh look Karen called me up and said 'Button's Missing', she's calling everyone so I thought I'd forward onto you see if you know anything?, same with Sweetie, got a call from here a few minutes ago asking the same thing, shit's crazy man, have you seen him lately...or at all?”

A silence came from the boy.

8Bit took a fumbling sip of his water-bottle and began tapping his hoof against the top of his desk, unsure of how to respond to Rumble, he shot a quick glance out his window.

“S-sorry man I haven't seen him since yesterday, but actually can you give me Sweetie's number ...in case something is like posted on StableSpace or something, I'd like to you-know...help any way I can” the orange frail colt stuttered, taking a large gulp from his water-bottle (a mix between soda and his mother's bourbon).

“Uh sure man Ill text ya the digits, I guess Ill call up InkSpot or gods forbid try to communicate with Manga, see ya man...oh and thanks for the Maths notes yesterday, Algebra's a real drag.”

“Good luck searching...he's probably just locked inside the arcade again, you know heh” stuttered the orange lad as he ended the call. Opening contacts he scrolled down to BUtton mAsh and stared for a little while of the image, Him and Button waiting in a line for a midnight game release, smiling, happy. He tossed the phone onto his bed.

8Bit peered through his blinds towards the building in front of him, taking a long exhale as he began calling someone on skype.

“err...Hello?” asked Sweetie Belle, her voice still sounding groggy.

“Sweetie my name's 8Bit I'm a-”

He was quietly cut off.

“8Bit, Your part of Button's group arn't you, please have you seen hi-”

“That's what I want to talk to you about, it's B-Button...I've seen him... I mean ...I think 'It' was Button, last night”

“Oh thank Celestia, you’ve seen him” Sweetie remarked, giving a large exhale over the phone

The mare on her end was gripping at her Cell phone, she had a lead to go off.

“B-but I don't think I can tell you....I mean I don't think it's safe to talk over the phone…’

‘Huh, what do you me-’ Sweetie Belle asked baffled, cut off by the colt.

‘I think it involves...bad people, people who can make me worry about what I say over the phone’

The colt continued

‘can you meet me at my address it's Unit twenty fi...um uh remember um..ok just listen I don’t want to give away my address in this call..ah I've got it, bare with me on this, last year how many times did that unicorn scone get stabbed in metal-class by that buffalo jock, well it's that number times itself, that's the unit number...and the street address is well...the age Button was when his dad left, and uh last is...shit um, remember that old legend about the unicorn who made wings out of feathers and wax....er it’s also that game series with the same name...that's all I can give you I'm sorry, do you understand what I'm getting at?”

Sweetie Belle was heavily confused at his riddle of sorts but she did thankfully know the answer, 'Unit 25, 5th Icarus street, south side of Canterlot.

“Ok...I got it, thank you, I’ll come as fast as I can” she told him.

8Bit quickly hung up the phone.

“Rarity, I'm going out Ill be back in maybe an hour k?”

“hold up you've got school today, where are you even going?” the older mare proped, her hair wrapped up and working glasses already on.

“I've got to stop by a ….friend's place, it's in Canterlot, I’ll head to school right after...k” Sweetie replied vaguely, grabbing her cellphone and sliding it up through her mane.

“Alright stay safe, try not to get yourself killed or anything” Rarity told her in a worrying tone.

“K,bye”

“Please hold on, Sweetie...how are you?”

“Rare can we please not do this” quickly replied the teenage mare, desperatly trying to shrug off the question.

“You know I’m here for you if you want to talk about this”

“I know sis, I will I swear...but later on”

“Ok, again, stay safe”

'I will'

And with that Sweetie belle hurried out the door and down the street towards her bus stop, leaving her older sister with a thought for the worst to come.

'Stay Safe Sweetie' she told herself.

“^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

BZZZZZZT BZZZZZZT

buzzing on the counter-top table was a cellphone lying aside three empty beer cans and a large bowel of pretzels, beyond that sat a cactus and beyond that a lizard baking in the morning sun, it's form sprawelled over a sand-sodden rug.

BZZZZT BZZZT went the phone again, the device's own groaning and grumbling his way back to life as he reached out and picked it up. The colt rubbed his eyes and looked out to the desert dunes and cragged canyons in front of him, he had once again passed out on his little patio at the very end of his dust-bowel caravan park, the sand swirling and dancing by the foot of the ragged worn couch.

The Colt stretched up into a sitting position and spat in an ash-tray, the faint broth of cheap liquor still inhabiting his mouth.

BZZZT BZZZ....

He checked Messages.

'OH SHIT' Kickin Mash said to himself, reading the message six more times just to be sure what he was reading was correct.

'Oh Shit' came a voice from a far of ditch, the resident of that ditch pulling himself up and wading through a small sea of empty beer Bottles. Rudey the Ginger.

'OH SHIT' both colts said to each-other, staring madly at there phones.

'you think it's real' asked Kickin.

'It's gotta be, no question about it man' Rudey replied, shaking the sand from out of his mane.

'Well....shit I guess if he wants us there now....err when should we leave?'

'NOW!' the orange haired colt retorted, frantically un-pinning his keys and wallet from the near-by cactus.

'Ok ok, hmm, got that, got this....Rudey, where's me gun?' Kickin asked, the other colt lifting up the dusty couch cushions and finding two silver pistols.

both the lads hurried as fast as they could, tripping over bottles and golf-clubs as they rushed towards Kickin's vehicle, the caretaker almost forgetting to lock up the front desk, he rushed over to the park toilets and found a half-dazed crack-head lying by the entry way.

'Gummy, your in charge till I get back Ok' Kickin said matter-o-factly as he tossed the key at the half alive cadaver.

'errr I expect minimum wage for this..sssir' Gummy groaned, his body still seeming lifeless.

'Take it up with the union boyo' the caretaker replied rushing back over into the vehicle and buckling up as the tires roared madly in the morning sun, both Rudey and Kickin speeding off towards the Canterlot, leaving smoke and a sun-baking lizard in there wake.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The yellow bus haulted at the city stopped three young mares stepping aboard as Sweetie belle hopped off, a crumbled piece of paper in her hoof that read '5th Icarus Street'.

she wandered down the road and towards a seady-looking street with tall brick buildings reaching up like great reaching arms.

taking a bit of an apple she read the numbers once more and followed onwards down the street, crossing the road and finally making it to her destination.

a set of apartment rooms stretching up seven floors, the building staring down at her like a rickety old creature with tired eyes. she scaled it's steps and found room 25.

Sweetie took a deep breathe, both from anxiety and from general lack of exercise.

'who names apartment rooms from top down' she thought to herself, catching her breathe and finally knocking on the door, hoping to find the answers she wanted.

KNOCK KNOCK

'Hello?'

a small mare opened the door, she had a look abit her that was sweetness as much as it was frailness, like a withering rose, her mane was a maroon and her coat a tan creamy colour, her eyes shown a heavy blue.

If her face wasn't so bruised Sweetie would have though she was a petite actress or model.

“hello little miss, how can I help you?” the mare asked, her voice holding loosely a withering accent, that wasn't obvious but was still very notible.

“uh,um...Is 8Bit here, he asked me to drop by”

The older mare looked completely dumbstruck, like she wasn't sure if she was being pranked or not.

Hesitantly the woman called out down the hallway.

“Bitty you uh...have a lady friend here for you” the women called out down the hall.

Sweetie looked more at the mare, she looked off but she had a certain form to her body that was unmistakably attractive, Sweetie even felt a little hot and bothered just looking at her curvaceous shape and tied together with that faint accent it made her....well, she certainly had a presence about her.

….

from down the hallway stepped out a small orange colt, she skidding to the door in slight paranoia and ushered Sweetie in, looking out behind her and even above.

“Bitty dear, this is not one of those friends-with-benifits situations is it?” the mother asked, Sweetie's eyebrows shooting up towards 8Bit.

“I’m still gay Mom” the colt plainly replied as he poked his head out down the stairway and then back into the door, shutting it tight.

“Ok it's safe to come in, mind the lingerie on the the floor

“if you told me some-one was coming over I would have cleaned up dear, instead of leaving my work clothes lying around’

‘Oh what do you do’ Sweetie asked trying to make small talk.

‘Im well...an escort dear’ the frail mare replied, Sweetie staring for a second longer than she should have, enough to make her thoughts obvious.

‘That’s interesting, you uh...don’t look the ‘escort’ type if you don’t mind me asking’ Sweetie commented trying to be nice to this mare who seemed she should be in a hospital more than working the streets.

‘Oh yes, sorry about my visage, I’ve come down with a rather nasty condition, not flu or anything so I cannot upset the clients but more an achey sleepy type of issue, but enough about private matters like that, you and Bitty go have fun.

‘Uh...thank you miss?’

‘Delila’

'Thank you Miss Delila, Sweetie felt a funny butterfly feeling in her stomach, she wasn't...well into mares, but this mare had a cadence that made Sweetie want to be close to her. She must get a lot of clients' Sweetie thought to herself.

Stepping Inside the colt's room Sweetie was hit right in the nostrils by the smell of old pizza and body deodorant.

EWWWCCHH!! she coughed, 8Bit imminently apologising as he cleared her a spot on the bed.

As the mare sat down she noticed a Male Play-Pony magazine under the colt's bed. She felt a little more comfortable somehow.

there was a sort of silence as they waited for the other pony to start.

'So you saw Button last night, where is he now, do you know' Sweetie Belle asked, waiting for the small young colt to give her the answers she wanted.

he searched for the right words to reply with.

'I saw him last night...but well...It was sort of a few things I saw that you probably should know'.

the small colt moved over to the window and opened his blinds to the building across the road.

'See that place over there' he stated, pointing it out.

Sweetie read the sign.

Crimson Hearts Club

'yeah, is that were Button was last night' Sweetie Belled asked hesitantly, the orange colt having a ominously grave look on his face.

'I saw Button there, he showed up with some girl on the back of a scooter-bike, they went in the back and then well....another colt showed up with really spiky hair, then he came out with Button over his shoulder...like a sack of potatoes...he threw Button in that Dumpster and him and the mare left.

'...What?' plainly stated the white mare. confused.

'I don't know the colt But I think that the mare was that chick who hangs out with Scarlet...Ghoul or Ghast or whatever'

'...What?' again stated Sweetie.

“I couldn't really see much but he arrive with a white mare, same shade as you ...though she had kind of milky cream-like colored hair and ears full of piercings.

'Uh 8Bit I know who your talking about, Ghost from English class...But what do you mean sack of potatoes, was he unconsius...knocked out?'

'well...he kind of looked dead....but afterwards I don't thin so much?'
'Afterwards?'

'I saw Button again...later on, H-he...crawled out from the dumpster but...I't didn't seem like Button , It was him but...not quite you know'

'no, I don't think I do' Sweetie Belle replied, plainly and very very much confused.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Sweetie sat down at the corner of the burger joint, tapping her hooves as she waited, she ran through the questions a million times through her head as she did so, praying that she wouldn't forget a detail when she finally had to start talking. It felt scary now, after hearing what 8Bit said, everything started to feel off, like sleep-walking.

Sweetie looked at the time from the diner clock inside.

4:21 PM, damn the mare thought to herself, Most of the day had already snuck on by as she wrote down little details on her phone. the morning sun was now an afternoon blister as it scorched the black roads of Canterlot and boiled the daffodils and dandelions that bleed through cracks of concrete.

Soon Sweetie Belle heard a motor grunted away as it slid on by down the road, She had shown. Sweetie didn't think she'd show but....she did show.

Ghost said nothing as she parked her motorbike and trotted over to Sweetie, only popping out a cigarette and lighting it up immidiatly, she seemed jumpy, eyes deep and ringed and hair more messy than usual, dishevelled would be the right word for her.

Sweetie Belle went to say something when Ghost put her hand up to silence her, Sweetie stared at her for a bit and then finally one of them broke the silence.

'Let's get this clear Sweet-heart, we are not friends, I don't like you and I don't want to be here...but....I need to talk to someone about this and It seems your the only one I can...project onto'

'That's fine Ghost, all I care about is making sure Button is safe'

'Yeah I bet'

'Hmm' Sweetie grumbled back trying not to start a fight.

'he told me you know, Button did...about what him and you did....I don't care....I mean I care for Scarlet's feelings but...did you even think what would happen?'

Sweetie gave her a look, her eyes like glass and face like steel.

'I didn't think about a damn thing else when it happened' Sweetie Belle replied.

Both Mares stepped inside the Dinner and sat Down, one of the white mares ordering a coffee.

....

'So' began Sweetie telling Ghost the whole story with 8Bit, 'what happened with Button last night?'

as the conversation went one Ghost slowly started to become defensive and almost frantic.

“Button..swallowed I dunno...6 or more viles of the stuff, I don't know what was wrong with him but...he didn't seem like you know...the usual him” Ghost fumbled with her cigarette as she popped it in her mouth and lit it up.

“What happened” questioned Sweetie, gripping her coffee mug tighly, as she waited for the Gothic girl to haphazardly reply.

“He...he fell backwards and ...his eyes rolled back...and foam came throffing from his mouth, it looked awful...so fucking bad, he started spazzing out and twitching like he was having a seizure or something then...he stopped”, The pale mare sucked back a quarter of her cigarette, smoke nervously flooding from her mouth.

over by the counter the waitress politely asked the mare to put out the smoke.

“W-what do you mean...he stopped?”
the conversation went deathly cold.
Ghost looked up and sweetie with deep wet eyes.

“He died...he just died, heart stopped, body went limp, not even an exhale like in the movies just...stopped”

Sweetie's eyes went wide trying to rack her brain around those grim words, she was about to say something just then stopped, stopped and lingered on what Ghost said as the white mare looked coldly at her for acknowledgement.

“Died...No, no...he's not dead, 8Bit said he saw Button after you left” the white mare spoke in a transparent almost wispy tone.

“Look Sweetie I dunno what to tell you...but...people have a look about them when they die, like an absence of....I dunno realism or soul or some crap, my gran-gran when she died, she looked...Empty, that same look was on Button's face, what ever this 8Bit fella told you...Must have been someone else, I saw Button and he looked...d-dead”

“I..I” Sweetie felt her eyes welling up but unsure exactly why, the feeling in her chest growing heavier.

Ghost quickly noticed the white unicorns face and quickly gave a comforting response.

“Look, I haven't heard anything on the news and trust me I've been listening, nothing about a dead body in a dumpster, maybe he did somehow by the grace of Celestia come back, like waking up from a coma, I dunno where he would go but...as-long as he's alive y’know.

“you...you left him in a dumpster, did you...even bother to call an ambulance”

Sweetie belle shot Ghost a judgmental gaze as a single tear streamed down her cheek.

“I...I tried...but Spikes told me to just let him deal with it...eh what does it matter he's fine right, you said so yourself, it doesn't matter, it's all fine, please if your done asking quest-”

“Where did you leave him, what dumpster”

'ma'am please put out your cigarette' the waitress called out louder this time.

“Crimson hearts on Icarus drive, now please just leave me alone, go be sherclop holmes somewhere else I..I have a lot of reading to do, please...I need to do some thinking”

“Put out that-” the waitress again called out before being cut off.

“IT”S OUT YOU FUCKING COW!” just like that Ghost slammed the cigarette against the table and stormed out, wiping her eyes and storming out the diner, Sweetie still sitting at the table and left to flip the bill.

Sweetie stepped out

Part 1: Its not safe to go alone.

“SHIT!” Button mash screamed as long and loud as his lungs permitted as a low boom resounded through his speakers, along with a splattering of digital blood all over his in-game HUD, announcing the slaying of his avatar by a high speed sniper bullet.

“Buttons! What did I say about language!’ Button’s mother called up to him in a less than polite tone.

“Sorry mom, It’s just…" said Button, his eyes never leaving the screen, "hacks, someone was hackin’ and.. "

Button’s go-to answer was cut off by his mother.

‘I don’t care, no more crap this and ass that, it sounds like the middle of manehatten up there, enough with the war shooters and go play... I don’t know? Play anything else that doesn't induce you to scream swears like a cat in labour!’.called his mother curtly from the kitchen.

Button's hooves quivered with the slightest hint of irritation with the controller wedged between them, as he replied with a ’kay’ and returned to sending a hateful comment to the enemy player who ended his precious 25 killstreak. He was easily riled up by such gamers, having never grown up from a stubborn and competitive attitude towards shooters. He flexed his forelegs and wound himself up for the next round.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Most young colts and mares left school around 12-14 years of age when they found their talent and would proceed to find a way to profit off of it. The problem was, Button Mash had a cutie mark of a D-pad, so everypony construed that he would be a game-maker, or be an expert in games (the latter was the most commonly refuted by everypony asked except for Button). It wasn't a lucrative business making games in Equestria, where most ponies were social and outgoing beings who relished the sun and didn't have the slightest idea (nor were they interested in) knowing the 'joy' of being holed up in a room, back bent over either a computer or a console making games or playing to one's heart's content with everypony else in a wide, social network-driven game. Well, the latter would happen, if harsh competition and expletives didn't go hand-in-hand with social connection, and thus nopony who played such games ever was content.

Button included.

"Please mom, I’m just too tired and I'm not even able to work," Button whined, "so it's no harm, no foul?"

“Button Ashley Mash, you’ve been on your X-bone playing that old shooting game till 5 am. In the morning. For the last 3 damn days, You're filthy, your eyes are red and your mane looks like its 10 centimeters away from the ceiling, of course you’re going to school,” Button’s mom said calmly without raising her voice. Button heaved a great sigh, looking at the bright screen of his television set with a piercing crimson stare. His hoof reached over to the 'off' button and hovered, an inch away from contact. When his mother called his name again, he couldn't stand her grating tone and pushed it.

“FINE! But woman, I demand pancakes for breakfast!” Button replied with new found gusto, the strenuous world of shooter games behind him. The day wasn't going to start on a negative note for him.

“I’ll pour you a bowl of coco-puffs…” Button's mom said in a disinterested voice, her eyes rolling at his words.

"With a cup of coffee!” negotiated Button, hope rising in his voice.

“…….fine” she said with the same tone.

Button’s raised his hoof in victory and he rushed down to the kitchen. Though initially, Button's mom was grumbling at her son's laziness, her countenance brightened up, when Button came down, his enthusiasm to start the day a sharp contrast from his bent-back posture when he was gaming earlier. She smiled meekly as she poured a cup of coffee at the kitchen counter as Button sifted through the refrigerator for some milk. Even with all of his flaws and the pitfalls life kept throwing at him, Button didn't look the slightest bit weathered by it. and his mother permitted herself to smile at his youth; She was growing old and scolding him couldn't possibly become an hourly routine.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button’s family decided that he needed to go to higher learning in Canterlot so he could learn to MAKE games and finally leave home to allow his talents to thrive. Other ponies landed less prestigious locations for their jobs. Take Snips.

“Dude, yo Mutton, I need your help,” said a green colt with a pair of scissors of his flank. The two colts were at a bus stop, with Button ready to leave for Canterlot.

Snips left school around 12 to become a barbers apprentice, and was great at cutting manes but after a drunken miss-hap with a customer, (which ended with a bad back and a mutilated ear), he was fired, After that, he spent his days living as a nomad, pawning off stolen goods from houses he'd break into time and again when he would lose his dirty, gamble-earned money. Button pretended not to hear.

"Yo, Butt Mash, can you spare a Bit? I gotta catch the bus and I’m a few bits short, just this once I swear,” Snips said, and he seemed half intoxicated. His eyes were red and his speech was slurred.

“Sorry snip, but I gotta stop by the Canterlot canteen for a pie, you know how it is, man,” Button replied. But neither colt really knew whether Snips knew how it was then, as all signs showed positive for Snips having introduced something illegal into his body recently.

“Yeah yeah, you enjoy that pie…while I’m walkin’ 30 kilometres to get to Canterlot," Snips said begrudgingly.

“Sorry man, hey why are you heading to Canterlot anyway? Button said, his curiosity piqued.

“There's a... a guy who’s offering a job selling zebra potions in town, not sure why but its good pay and he’ll hook me up with a sweet apartment,” Snips replied with a smile.

“Is it snails? …or maybe even Berry." Button wanted to know before the bus coach came by. Snips sighed in response.

“First of all, I haven’t seen Snails since he got that big CEO job at some pesticide company in Fillydephia a few months back, ” Snips said with a hint of sadness. The roar of a bus sounded and a yellow coach pulled up.

“As long as it doesn’t go to your liver, here, a few bits to tag along” Button gave snips 5 bits.

They both chatted on the bus till they got to Canterlot.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The Canterlot higher learning campus consisted of 60 different classrooms inside 6 different blocks. To the left of the school entrance was the gym and to the right was the drama theatre as well as a canteen. The theatre was always kept in pristine condition , and if you weren’t part of the theatre troupe, you couldn't even go near it.

The whole place was full of ponies chatting about how mundane and boring their holidays were and teachers raced each other towards the staff room to get some of Mrs BunsenBurner’s back-to-work coffee which was as good as it was expensive.

As Button’s bus parked he couldn’t help but sigh at the prospect of toiling another year here. This was a whole different level of educational institute; if one didn’t put in sufficient effort, he would be a goner, and if you stepped out of line, you had to deal with Mr Whipinglash, the short-tempered disciplinarian.

Button stepped out of the bus and looked around, it’s amazing how cliques worked: you had the classic sporting ponies, destined for fame, to become the next fleet hoofed football goalie or Wonderbolt trainer.

Thankfully you never had the less than pleasant rich daddy mares like in regular school, since, they’d probably have already been bedded and wedded by some rich business colt. Take Silver Spoon; she wasn't at the high school as she found romance and shelter with Snails a while back.

As Button looked to the gym he saw the noticeable Goth ponies, the ones who worshipped Discord and Nightmare Moon and claimed they had evil gypsy magic if you even dared to provoke them.

Science ponies (Scones), book crazy ponies, colt crazy mares, mare crazy colts and either way here and there. Chef ponies, artist ponies and the head honchos, the Drama Ponies, these are your actors, writers, musicians and comedians, basically the ones with their heads so far up themselves that they're smelling the low-fat soy latte’s in their stomach.

Button walked into the library to find his group: the ones that were not too nerdy but not cool. They could hold up a conversation but couldn’t tell the difference between football and tennis. That's right… the meh ponies.

“Welcome back to the less than rewarding grind Mash, where your hopes and dreams become as processed as the food here.” this voice belonged to Equestria’s best (and least self-absorbed) graphic artist Ink Spot..

“Hey spotty where were you last week, me and 8bit were making serious bank on Grand Theft Magic VII,” Button said with a smirk.

“Soz, bro,I was playing Fallout Equestria then I did some fan-art for MLH,” Ink spot confessed. This elicited a look of anger from Button.

“Seriously! My Little Human, you.. do know that show's for little fillies?" said Button, his face bearing a disappointed look.

Ink spot cut Button mash off, and leaned in to whisper, a grin across his face.

“That didn’t stop you in writing a ship fic between Dashie and A-jack, that's right, I’ve seen your computer docs!” Ink spot said with a large amount of self-satisfaction. While Button blushed crimson red.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button bickered with Rumble and Manga about JRPG’s versus MMORPG’s, when an awkward orange pony with a ¾ blue square of his rump skittishly wandered into the library towards his only friends (besides his therapist).

“hey…guys, good to see you again…” 8bit mumbled with a whisper.

“…because they have to keep the servers chugging along at 60 FPS, that’s why they need to keep the graphics low” Button said to his friends not hearing 8bit's greeting .

“..either way the game came out 15 years ago, servers or not TimberWolf: New Blood looks amazing and has Lens flare for days!” replied Rumble.

“ファンタシースターは明らかに最適です," Manga said in a monotone voice.

“….that’s right manga, it can’t compete to a tried and true questing system.” Said Button.

“Yo, buttons come with me; I need to borrow a book on how to draw hands before Ms Heartstrings does,” Ink Spot said while walking towards the art and music section.

“Kay, hold up, man,” button said while catching up.

Button and Ink Spot went down the isle looking for the book, and while Ink Spot searched the visual art section Button wandered around the corner to 'music', looking for a book on chiptunes until he smacked into somepony familiar.

“Hey! Watch it creep!..oh, um hey, Button…” said a beautiful 16 year old white mare with a purple mane with pink highlights. Button's eyes widened. Silence ensued.

“Oh hey Sweetie Belle..um how was your break? Button said awkwardly, after a long pause.

“Oh erm... fine, I guess, I took a job singing at the Hearth's Warming Festival... and um, rarity wants me to try out a job next holidays as a Broadway singer..but, um, how about you?” she said, her voice strained.

“Oh you know me, video games and video games, just as one dimensional as ever, heh.”

They laughed awkwardly but not as awkward as the awkwardness the previous sentence had which was more or equal to the awkwardness of the previous previous sentence.

Button gave a heavy exhalation.

“Look, sweets, we're gonna have to talk about this sooner or later," started Button, and Sweetie's ears perked up in attention, though it was clear both ponies knew what Button was about to say. "Never really said this, but I’m so sorry about being a jerk when we broke up..”.

“I understand, Button, you were angry and sad, I completely understand it's just... why you would leave me at Sugarcube corner …at 8.00pm….in the rain…” Sweetie Belle said, her voice growing increasingly bitter. Button's ears drooped.

“Ok, maybe I wasn’t so gracious in defeat?” Button said awkwardly, drawing a cold laugh from Sweetie Belle.

“Your mother told me you cried like a bitch, her words by the way,” she replied with conviction. Button bit his lip in embarrassment, with a little sadness on the side.

“You ran off before I could tell you anything, then you ignored me for a year and… If it’s worth anything I’m sorry…” Sweetie said with as genuine a tone as she could muster. Button's mood changed instantly, and his nostrils flared at her show of forgiveness.

“Don’t be,” Button said roughly “If I've learned anything from it, it’s to never bother to put anything ahead of yourself, I’m what's most important to me, and that’s why… I’m sorry, Sweets.”

Button walked away fast as he could so he wouldn’t hear a reply from the dumbfounded filly he once called marefriend.

Button returned to see his friend looking at pictures in a book labelled the ‘The Beauty of the Mare Body’. He was flustered with anger, but permitted himself a chuckle.

“Oh, um I’m just learning…proportions?” Ink Spot said slowly while blushing nervously.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“…and that’s why Macbeth grew to hate everyone else, as his power grew his morals shrank until…"

(*BRRRRRRRIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNGGGGG*)

"..until tomorrow, mares and gentlecolts," Said Ms Tapestry.

The entire English classroom emptied out towards the sweet smell of lunch.

Button and 8bit headed towards the canteen when Button realized he gave today's lunch money to Snips.

“Shiet, I got no cash for lunch,” Button said while searching his saddle bag.

“Uh, well I got money you know…if you want any,” 8bit said so quietly you could swear the wind was stealing his words.

“..Rrrr, come on , zapapple jam-sandwich, apple slices, heck even last week’s oat bar!” Button said to himself in irritation.

"Well you know I've got like 78 bits in my saddlebag if you want a little….” 8bit offered, but to no avail.

“Eh, I guess I’ll have to go hungry today…Wait! Take cover!” button said to 8bit as he pulled on his shoulder. 8bit wouldn't budge, as he wore a confused expression on his face.

“What? Oof!"

.8bit soon got a punch in the shoulder and noticed that 3 Drama ponies were walking past.

“So it’s about high school life but it’s through the universe of humans…oh hey Mutton Bash, nice bag!“ called Backslash, the infamous yet pretentious writer as they walked towards the theater.

“What a turd sandwich,” Button whispered towards 8bit as his stomach rumbled at the sight of a chocolate stuffed donut, held in the hoof of somepony exiting the canteen. Button looked at 8bit, but the other pony seemed to be deep in thought.

"What's the matter?"

“I saw you talking to that white pony in the library…what was that about? If you don’t mind me asking?” 8bit said quietly.

“She's just...some mare that I loved..DATED! Long ago, back in my late school days, she…she hurt me bad.” Button said trying to sound arrogant but sounded more naive than confident. 8bit chuckled.

“Pfft…. 'she hurt me bad', hah!" 8bit mimicked, drawing a grunt from Button, "you sound like a little bitch."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As Mr Papyrus finished talking about the secret assassination of a Saddle Arabia ambassador at the hooves of A New Lunar Republic sniper, the sweet *BRIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGG* of the 3:00pm bell went.

Button and Rumble watched the crowd first wave of Ponyville East students funnel into the bus when horrible news struck.

“Ponyville West on as well, second bus is in for maintenance. All in or ya not makin’ it home.” Said the pegasi bus driver strapped the front of the bus coach.

“Sheiiiit!” said Button as he and Rumble hoped aboard.

After wading through the crowd there were only 2 seats left, Only problem, there was a certain purple maned mare sitting behind, a mare that made that seat the last place he wanted to be.

Rumble took the seat without even a blink and patted the second seat to usher button in. Button mash sat on, trying to make it look like he didn't even notice her.

“Oh hey Sweetie, haven’t seen you since Scoot's birthday,” Rumble said happily.

“Well, that was only 3 months ago, so it's no prob. How've you been?” Sweetie said. Button cringed but kept his mouth shut.

“Fine, fine, I finally got my license to use a coach, so now I hall boxes from Filthy rich’s tool store to the train station on weekends, Crap pay but the train curator is a good talker.” Rumble was always good at pretending something wasn't wrong, by just maing the best of a bad situation.

“Well, that’s good I guess, what are you using the money for?” said Sweetie Belle while Button pulled out his joy boy, shutting himself off from the rest of the world.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

After an excruciatingly long bus trip, the bus was finally at the Sugarcube corner bus stop. As Rumble, Sweetie and Button hopped off the bus there was a buzzing sound in the air. They looked around as an orange blur zoomed toward the 3 of them, Rumble flew into the air and opened his arms as the orange blur smacked into him, and whilst they were propelled by the momentum, Rumble and the new pegasus did a triple spin and landed in the dirt laughing.

“Caught ya!” Rumble said happily as the 16 year old Scootaloo wrapped her arms around Rumble, kissing him on the cheek.

“I haven’t seen you all week, you ass,” she responded playfully as Rumble returned her peck. She lifted the both of them up,

“Come on, I gotta show you my new quadruple hard flip triple fade. Learned it from the Dash herself!” said Scootaloo excitely as she flapped her wings slowly, preparing for takeoff.

“If it involves a make-out session, I’m fine with anything,” Rumble snarkily said.

“Yeah yeah, come on hotshot, Oh, see ya Sweetie, see ya Button,” she called below as she dragged Rumble with her .

“I’ll see you tomorrow…..” Rumble said as his voice faded away.

By this time Button had already started to walk fast with the volume on his JoyBoy turned on full, Sweetie belle yelled at him before he could turn the corner.

“Button Mash!, stop right there!”

Button stopped dead in his tracks but still acted like the only thing that mattered was his JoyBoy.

“What is wrong with you!, you act like I don’t exist! You say shit to me and just turn around…look at me, dammit!” Sweetie shouted, and was starting to tear up, her voice cracking with loud pitches.

"If you wanna know, why I broke up with you…it’s because you hide all of your feelings behind videogames, I know that’s who you see yourself as but, you’ve only been bitter to me since then,…And I hate it! Please…just say..something!” She was bawling by now, her green eyes reddened with tears, her voice was cracking.

Moisture filled Button's eyes, which were hidden behind his mane and he put the JoyBoy up to his ear to drown out her sob. Without a word, he turned the corner leaving sweetie belle sobbing while she sat at the bus stop, while leaving with a small murmur, said to nopony in particular.

"It's so damn hard.

Season 3 Part 1: Automatic Update.

Season 3 Part 1: Automatic Update.

Button could feel his chest bursting, his lungs clenched in an unbearable squeeze of every fibre trying to absorb the last morsel of oxygen they could. The Colt twisting and convulsed in futility, bitting down hard on his bottom lip as his eyes began stinging like they were white lemons. 'No more, No more!' he cried out to himself, thrashing his head madly he quickly threw himself upwards, his lung tearing apart inside his chest.

Shooting through the cold surface of water he gasps in a huge violent fit, coughing and chocking wildly with cold salty water stinging his eyes.
Soon there was another blast from the water as a blue Pegasus shot threw the waves gasping, heaving and panting madly through his chest.
"hahaha *cough*...ahaha, I w-win" announced Rumble, whipping the water out of his mane like a dog, spitting the salted saliva from his pursed lips.

"oh…" gasped Button Mash, "C'mon, one more go, I can hold my breathe l can *cough* hold it longer than that I swear!".

"Guys stop trying to kill ya'selves and get back ta shore!" Yelled out the yellow mare from the white sands, a large sun-hat over her head and blue shades over her face, next to her was a pink mare with the same look, lying on a towel enjoying the hot amber sun.

"C'mon man, lets swim back in, my chest is killing me" Rumbled said, diving down and swimming back under the faces of waves. Button followed behind, being propelled forward by the tide and shooting threw the blue and white water like a torpedo, around him a thousand tiny silver stripes glided past with green beady eyes, the dark blue of the ocean behind him seemingly endless and stretching on forever begin the horizon.

On shore there were two mares caked in seaweed and dancing in the sand like gypsies, hitting each other with balls of compacted sand and smacking each other over the head with crumbling pieces of driftwood. A few feet beside them where two other mares lying on beach towels, chatting casually as they soaked up the hot sun.

The two colts washed up on the sand like dead fish, crawling onto four legs and shaking the salty sea out of there colourful fur.

"Ow!" yelled Sweetie Belle as the sword-like driftwood shattered against her skull, exploding in a big heap of clumped pipy shells and sand clusters.

"Hah" Shot loud Scootaloo in victory, "Should have kept your guard up!".

"Eat it!" Sweetie replied, tackling the orange pesagi to the ground and pushing her face deep into the white sand.

"Button and Rumble walked over to the two other mares and wrapped themselves in a warm dry towel.

"So who won the breathe holding thingy?" asked Diamond tiara, her face shrouded by a large pair of silver sunglasses and a strawberry red hat.

"I did" boasted Rumble, "Little Button here could barely hold it in" he joked, receiving a playful punch in the arm by the brown colt, both of them sitting down and watching Scoot and Sweetie playing beach-side fight club.

Button watched everyone's contempt faces, the sun looking down at them from the centre of the sky like a gigantic fluorescent light-bulb. The skyline all around was the same shade of light blue except for beyond the ocean where some large puffy plumes of bloated storm-clouds were congregating, slowly chugging like a group of obese elephants towards the inland shore.

In the air Button could smell salt and sea breeze, the waves lapping against the shore and spitting miniscule baby water droplets into button's face.

“Sun’s beginning to set” said Rumble, “We should think about heading back to Ponyville, We can stop at the takeaway before the highway and get some dinner”.

“sounds good to me, You guys ready to leave?” asked Sweetie, everyone beginning to dry off and pick up their towels, the friends walking away from the warm white sands and threshing blue water of their little road trip.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"FOR" Shouted Rudey as he hit the golf ball into the afternoon dusk, flying off far beyond eyesight.

"OK my turn, pass it here" Kickin called out, climbing up on top of the silver caravan and taking the 9 Iron off the orange colt. There was a small silver divot in the centre of the rusted out motor-home, Grabbing a well-worn golf-ball out of a bucket he placed it in the divot and scanned the horizon.

"Bet I can hit it between those two wonky cactus's over there".

"It's cacti" retorted Rudey, lighting a crumpled cigarette and drawing deep on the smoke stick, grey columns funelling out of his mouth, the hot sun birthing beads of sweat on his brow as the dark shade of the caravan started to freeze his legs.

"whatever" replied Kickin Mash, taking a stance and propelling the small golfball far off, smacking into one of the distant cacti and exploding the green plant into a gory mess of watery cactus chunks.

"Good hit" acknowleged the ginger colt as he chucked Kickin up a beer and joined him atop the silver cylinder that was someone's vacant motor-home.

"So Rudey, It's been like a month, tell me bout yourself, got any missis or kids of your own?" the brown pony asked, talking a hefty sip of his lager, brown bubbles bursting into white suds inside his glass bottle.

"Once...Had a wife...and a little girl.... for a few years, she and the baby left though".

"Im sorry mate". Kickin responded.

"Eh it's fine, been so long now I barely remember".

"How'd ya meet?, if ya don’t mind me asking" Kickin asked.

"Back in school, we both got our Cutie marks and left around thirteen, she started work at a grocers and I tried my hoof at stand-up comedy at the local pub, anyway we decided we might as well tie the knot and get married" The orange Colt's face was a mixture of happy smirks, staring deep into his bottle and scanning the orange fire-spat sky and blue-soaked mountains beyond. "Her folks didn't like me much and frankly she wasn’t any too keen on mine so we got a small place out in the shire, pissy little cottage it was, always leaking and sparking out on us but...it was home, things went pretty good till I ended up getting her pregnant, Gods I still remember her face when she told me and I just went cold on her, freezing up like some dumbstruck popsickle" Kickin nodded slightly to show he was listening, tapping his hooves against the side of the silver metal,' Anyway The next night after instead of headin' home as usual I got real scared and went to some bar next town over, drowning myself in as much piss as medically possible. I woke up in a prison cell the next day and was told I had attempted to glass some unicorn stockbroker in the local fish'n'chips shop.

Rudey then began to scratch at his pink neck-scar, his bottom lip drooping low on his face, his dry pink tongue rubbing up against his chalky teeth.

"How'd you end up working for Guy then, you know if you don't mind me asking and what not" Kickin repeated, trying the further the conversation but not sure if the other colt wanted to keep talking.

Rudey gave a slight nod as he gulped down another mouth full of his bitter brown bubbly drink.

"I was out on parole after a botched jewellery store robbery, by now Cassie and my little girl were long gone and living with their gran gran, anyway I got out of the clink and ended up working as a bouncer at some fancy cabaret club when Rocco approached me in an alley after my shift and asked if I wanted to do some strongman work with him for the a new drug operation in town, the Juicers".

"Was this Saul running the show" Kickin chimed in.

"Na, This is when Guy was given the 'don' title of Canterlot, round about 6 years back, he was a lot more charismatic back in the day".

"When I first met him he was a gun runner for Saul out In the boonies, he seemed Nice enough, wouldn't shut up about food though, always baggin’ on about the proper way to cook chillies with beans or sauce, sauté’ or something or other " Joked Kickin, the sun now sunken beyond the great blue mountains, the desert sand a crisp orange to a cold spiralling plain of blue dust and night air.

The crystalloid twinkle of the first appearing stars and glimmering glints of the amber-like sand to the last drops of sun-light over the desolate land enchanted, the two men chuckled melancholy between themselves, their hearts too heavy, too bogged down with lost memories to bother any more speech, Kickin Mash got up and placed his empty bottle in the divot then with all his strength smash it into tiny shards with one hit of the 9 iron, the broken glass cutting through the twilight.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Button opened his eyes and saw nothing more than black night sky and blacker tared road of the highway. He could feel the warm artificial heat radiating from the built in coach heater and his face was half-asleep pressed against the cool glass window. The colt made a groining sound as he rubbed his eyes and looked around. Button was in the back seat with AppleBloom, Sweetie belle and Diamond tiara, their soft feminine faces snoozing away against the grey woollen seats. In the front seats sat Rumble driving the coach and Scootaloo sitting beside him, entrancedly nodding slowing along to the jazz on the radio.

"Hey buddy you awake" Rumble Asked, his window opened a crack and spitting cold air in his face, keeping him up as they drove back home.
"mmmm yeah, I'm awake, what time is it" Button mumbled, his body barely draped in a mink blanket that covered the three other mares.

"2:52 am".

"jeez, how much longer till we get back?”.

"still about an hour an a half".

"you could try pulling over and getting some sleep, we can hit the road back in the morning" Scootaloo added, giving him a rub on his arm and she let out a tired yawn.

"nah, not in the middle of nowhere, I'd rather we get everyone back home than sleep on the side of the road, I'll be fine I've done longer trips than this" replied Rumble, Button cracking his neck and slumped back into the warm seat, the three girls sleeping dead as doornails.

"Hey theirs a caravan park just up ahead look" Scootaloo pointed out, faint white lights up ahead with an old glowing sign saying Honest Hearts caravan park.

"You want to stay their for the night, we could get a cabin for a few hours then head off come sunrise" the orange mare again asked, the dreary car and and caravan lot coming up on the right side, green cacti in the darkness of nightfall staring towards the establishment like dead souls.

Rumble scratched the idea around in his brain for a bit and he slowed down towards the turn.

"...ehh nah, where almost home, Id rather sleep in my bed than some rusty salt-bitten cot.

"OK hun, just don’t go veering off the road if you get tired" Scoot retorted, nestling back into her white and red hockey jersey.

Button stared out at the dusty land lot of silver cylinders and faded red cabins , a sea of sand swallowing the solemn establishment like an exhausted swimmer caught in the white surf.

*VRGH* jumped the coach as it made a sharp jerk out of nowhere.

“What was that?” asked Scoot.

“Someone left a Gods damn golf ball on the road” Rumble barked, trying to keep his voice low.

"Ermmm" one of the girls began to softly groan and wriggle, slowly waking up and rising out of the coach-seat.

"You waking up honey" asked Scootaloo, a yawn coming from the mare.

"Yessem, what time is it?" Diamond Tiara replied lazily, rubbing her face, sitting up and popping her blue drink bottle and gulping down half a litre.

"almost three, go back to sleep if you want, we'll be back at our place in an hour and a half".

"Thanks Scoot, Ill just snuggle up here for abit" the pink mare answered, trying to brush her mane and giving little squeaks of pain as she kept getting her hair-brush caught in the frizz.

"Ouch..frigging sand, gets in everything".

Button began to make small talk.

"So whatcha think of the beach?".

"definitely a good time, quite the drive to get out here thou, Rumble do you need some fuel mone….".

Before she could finish he put his hoof up in silence and told her that he wouldn't accept any payment for a ride.

"I never expect friends to pay for trips I ask for, your money's no good here DT".

"Oh um, thank you" the mare responded, draping the black mink blanket back over her shoulders.

"Hey Tiara" asked Button, "how do your folks uh...feel about".

"Me and Applebloom" she interjected with a straight demeanour.

the colt gave a hesitant "yep".

"Mom thinks Im 'experimenting' and Dad, well, he doesn’t really care about a thing I do…so hey, besides a bit of an awkward silence when she comes over to my house… the folks are pretty much Ok with me and her going out”.

“Im gunna be honest…I did not in a million years expect you and AppleBloom to be…an item ya know”.

“I didn’t even know she was even into girls, for me it’s always just been something that I’d tried to keep under-wraps you know, or something you just don’t try to say to people, if you say it then it becomes real, you try to hide it and hope no one finds out like when you first start masturbating. For me now I just get butterflies whenever I was with AB, texting or hanging out. After that fight at the lake I just seemed to see her as an attractive mare that I wanted to be close to.

“Well now Have you got your wish”.

“Sure feels like it, she’s always got my back and I love her with all my heart, though when it comes to sexual stuff her give to receive ratio is like twenty to eighty, so hey I guess she could learn to be a bit more generous”.

“what about scarlet, how do you feel about her” Diamond Tiara asked, flipping the conversation.

“I don’t know if it’s the same with you and Applebloom, to me Scarlet just feels like a really good mate, I can always give her a call if I want her to come over and play some Halo or Smash Bros, Of course I have those deep feelings for her as well as feeling comfortable when she’s around but really it’s like having a best friend who’s a girl…but with the added benefit of them allowing you to put your dick in them, so yeah…win win”.

“hah, I guess that’s the way you’d want it, friends always are their when you need them, to be honest I’m extremely surprised you guess actually allowed me to join your little gang, I know I’ve been such a cold evil bitch to you guys for years, I would never expect you guys to accept me or me assuming I even had the right to ask for foregiveness.

“Honestly it’s true that for A long time we though badly of you, I’m not sure why you were cruel to all of us or why you said hurtful things but that all in the past, the point is you’re a good person now, past is the past, now is now”.

“Thanks Button, means a lot to hear people say that”.

“SO why isnt Scarlet here if you don’t mid me asking”.

“she had to go visit her Granfather yesterday, he’s going loopy with dementia so the family is basically saying their farewells to him, I asked her if she wanted me to try and reschedule the trip but she said to go and have fun. It isn’t much of a problem, she’s staying over tonight so we have some time together…so yay for that”.

“How is she around” The pink mare made a silent pointing gesture to the sleeping Sweetie belle, “ya know, coz AB did tell me you and her had some long history there”

“not sure, could be some tension could not be, I just don’t know for that question Tiara, but I wish I did, there’s some deep wounds there that I don’t want to show or talk about for long long time” truthfully told the colt, scratching his cheek and shrugging.

“Understood” Tiara replied “But remember…try to find someone you can talk to it about, get your problems out and in the open with someone you trust, doesn't have to be Scarlet….just someone who’ll listen".

“DT I don’t think there’s a Pony alive who would understand MY problems, there…kinda big ones”.

“Well it’s not like your some kind of criminal or murder right?” the pink mare jested.

“Yeah…right” nonchalantly chirped Button, his blood running cold and he turned back to the black expanse of the highway, looking at his reflection in the window, another face staring back.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Fucking hell!” yelled out Inkspot as he drew another card from his deck, the other two ponies seated around him all half-drunk and stuffed with Doritos and Mountain dew.

“Hah..another land card, 8Bit asked, looking down at the large multi-coloured row of mountains, plains and swamp-marshes on Inkspot’s field.
“It a frigging Mana-flood is what it is, can I please reshuffle my deck”.

“sorry man, those are the kicks” replied the young colt, picking up and placing down another Thopter card, inspiring a nasty groin from the milky colt as he played around with is dice.

“You guys notice that we never see Button anymore” pointed out Inkspot, his mane flopping over his eyes as he blew it amusingly with his breathe.

“I know, ever since he got that Goth chick all his been doing is either hanging out with her at lunch or Rumble and those preppy girls in the afternoon, he doesn’t even bother opting in for raid nights anymore.

“ボタンは、私たちを裏切りました”Added in Manga, attacking Inkspot for 7 lifepoints.

“I agree, goth chicks are hot but he’s just betrayed us you know, I thought we were his best friends”.

“You got your eye on Goth chicks now” questioned 8Bit, eyeing inkspot down.

“Yeah, I’m already going out with a moody little girl already” he quipped playfully to the young orange colt, banging his hoof on the table as he lifted up another land card.

“Look with Button…we’ve got what less than one year left of school, let him go out and live a little, all he did was do what we all wanted to do…”

“Be a phony”.

“Yes, but a Popular Phony”.

Inkspot grumbled as he mixed his vodka with his dew and downed half a glass.

“Atleast he’s getting laid” the colt drizzled on, wiping Dorito dust from the side of his mouth.

“Im sure your moody little Goth girl gives you all the pleasure you need” quipped 8bit, using four mana and summoning a Thopter spy network enchantment.

“Not ‘ALL’ the pleasure” mopped the colt, giving a bump in his eyebrows.

“Well I guess she’s just not into that type of stuff then” 8Bit retorted, the subtlety of their conversation almost non-existent.

“Well what if 'I' am, don’t I get I say in it all, aren't my feelings just as important in the matter”.

“it’s not a 'no'…it’s just a 'not right now' sort of thing…..I think is that particular pony’s issue”.

“I have needs” Outright barked Inkspot, 8Bit beginning to get annoyed.

“I..’They’… have limits” he replied.

“and it’s frigging killing me man”.

“then go jerk it out or something” the two secret lovers began to argue between one and other.

“I do…doesn’t really help ya know”.

“あなたの両方が一緒にゲイになります “ Casually commented Manga, lighting up a cigarette.

“I agree with manga” Inkspot said, “I should get to reshuffle”.

“Where already halfway through now DRAW!” boomed 8bit.

“ARGGGGGGH! MORE FUCKING LAND” yelled out Inkspot as he madly flipped the table.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Hey Button?".

"Yeah Scar" replied Button Mash, The orange mare's head lying flat on the Colt's chest as he had his arm wrapped around her shoulder and side, both their bodies draped in Button's star-wars bed sheets, their manes matted and teased.

"When did you get your tri-force tattoo?" Scarlet asked, pressing her hoof softly against the black triangular image.

"I was shit-face drunk at a party with the boys and Manga ended up asking me if I wanted ink".

"and you agreed" the mare stated.

"Scotch, bourbon, red-wine and ice-cream's a powerful combination m’dear".

"Hey Button" Scarlet asked again.

"Yeah babe".

"Can we uh go see a ….eh, nevermind" said the mare, sinking into his chest, her warm breathe against his ribs.
"what?" Button responded.

"Doesn't matter, it's stupid".

"C'mon tell me…and lets not do that cliché’ thing where you say it’s not important and I keep asking until you give in".

"Ok ok, uh can we go to the movies" Scarlet asked, pushing her fringe out of her eyes.

"Like...right now?".

"Yeah".

"…" Silent went the boy as he really didn’t want to get out of bed at ten at night.

"I d'know , I just really want to go to the theatres right now, go watch something interesting ya know, call it an unexpected journey".

"Well...gods your putting me on the spot here Scar, if we do go shouldn't we like have a shower and clean up, Ive still kinda got this rubber stuck tight around me and we both smell like a petting zoo".

The Mare got up out of the bed, stretched out her legs and shaking button gently out of bed, rising the exhausted colt and helping him up, they chucked the used condom in the bedside bin and hide the remaining pack as well as the lubricant in Button’s sock draw. Scarlet gave Button a nudge and urged him towards the door, both of them trotting quietly towards the bathroom, Button the whole time pretending he was in Metal gear solid mission.

The house was at an awkwardly low decibel with only the faint ticks of the wallway clock and bedroom TV hiding their creaking hoof steps.
Both teenagers could hear Button's mother watching Behind the Music in her room, they edged along the custard yellow walls at a snail’s pace, trying not to rise her and see them in their stained and musky state.

Finally they reached the Bathroom, both giving a short exhale as they walked into the tiled room, Scarlet first.

Suddenly Button heard a giggle then spun around in a jolt of confusing as he’d been grabbed by the back of his shoulder, the tall figure of his mother in front of him with a Cheshire grin on her face.

Button was laid out bare to see, the damage was noticeable.

"Button wouldn’t it be common curtesy to let your guest have a shower first before you hop in" inquired his Mother, staring down at him with a thin smile on her face, his face lighting up red as he was caught.
"Oh uh, I was just...grabbing a towel?" floundered Button, trying to step back but realising Scarlet had shut the door on him.

"Oh, well seems you need one, you’re looking quite...dirty right now, a lot of stains, especially around your...*cough* lower section" she inquired, her smirk and playful tone searing in button skin.

"Mom can we please not talk about this" He pleaded.

"Talk about what" she said nonchalantly.

"You know..stuff…Sexual...stuff".

"Hmm We'll there's around twenty billion ponies on this planet, there's got to be one way they got here because sure as hell the stalk didn’t bring them all".

"Mom".

“And of course it’s perfectly natural for a boy of your age, why when I was with your father back in high school his grandmother caught me and him legs in the air flaunting it in the laundry ro”.

“Mom…just stop” , Button could hear Scarlet’s muffled giggling as she tried not to laugh.

"But I didn’t come to just embarrass you in front of your lady-friend, not entirely, I actually came to point something out to you...it's about ejaculatory etiquette.

"Oh gods just stop please!" replied Button, slamming his hooves against his ears and squeezing as tight as he could".

"Now Button I know you enjoy having a loving sexual relationship with Scarlet” the girl’s giggle stop immediately “but I'd at least advice you that when you throw you’re err…completed condoms into the rubbish bin you at least tie them closed, I don’t want to keep taking out the garbage and find a pool of half crusty semen right at the bottom of the rubbish bag, it’s just plain unsanitary".

Button's face went bright red like a cherry tomato, his cheeks as hot as an industrial furnace.

"So remember to tie off the balloon when you blow it up dear…Got it?" Karen sternly asked.

"G..got it…NO WILL YOU LEAVE!" stuttered button in frustration, watching his mother trot away back downstairs with a skip in her step.

"Oh and scarlet, if you’re going to listen from behind the door you'd at least want to turn off the light so I don’t see your shadow under the door".

A small 'epp' came from behind the bathroom door.

The colt flung open the door ad shut it with a bang, pressing his head against the wall.

"Does your mother always act so...casual about stuff like that?".

"By which you mean does she always act perverted about that type of stuff...yeah, she's very...open about sex, its awkward...very fucking awkward".

“That’s…cool, I guess” Scarlet admitted, putting a hoof on Button’s shoulder.

“No…no it is not” he plainly replied.

“Pansy” the mare quipped, button grabbing her arm and pulling her towards him and into his chest, feeling very swave and he gave her a peck on the nose.

“Shoosh it woman” Button replied.

“Hah make me macho-man!, anyway I’ll have a shower and then we’ll head off K”.

“No way Macho-mare, you had your chance” replied Button, walking past her and turning on the tap.

“Hey whadda bout me, what ever happened to ladies first?”.

"After that conversation frankly I don’t even want to think about genders, I'm washing up, you want a shower then you better fight for some space coz I’m taking it".

“Ok grizzly guts…skooch over” she playfully replied to him, giving him a smack on the ass.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Welcome to channel six news, Im your Host Jib Jabber, bringing you the latest from around Equestria”.

News announcer: Furthermore tensions between local rival drug cartels in Canterlot main as well as with the CPD Royal Guards are growing to volatile heights as outbreaks of rioting in the west of the city are turning deadly as two innocent civilians were caught in the crossfire of a shootout earlier yesterday. Both were taken to prince blueblood royal hospital with serious injuries, the first a young Pegasus is in a critical condition while the second an elderly earth-pony died later last night to blood loss. The spike in gang related crimes can be traced back three months ago to the death of Guy Gwangee the drug kingpin of Canterlot, for thirteen years Guy controlled the flow of illegal narcotics and a specialty in Zebra-land made products after the Death of one of Equestria’s most deadly underworld figure whiplash. Now with Guy gone smaller lesser known criminal organisations are vying for control of not only the east and west of Canterlot but drug distribution rights to the whole of Canterlot City.

In the last three months we’ve seen twelve civilian and twenty four criminal deaths related to this gang war with no signs of slowing down. Canterlot Commissioner of the Royal Guard Shining Armor had this to say:

“Currently were looking at subduing the gang related outbreaks in Canterlot West were the majority of damage seems to be taking place. Three major parties have been identified; Willow Street Wardogs, Canterlot highrollers and the Buffalo Triad.”

News announcer: Commissioner Shining Armor followed the press release up with a statement that he and the entirety of the Royal guard have been working tirelessly to minimise civilian casualties and property damage as this drug war rages on with no imminent sign of slowing down, I’m Jib Jabber and this is the Channel six news.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^

Both Button and Scarlet stood in the large red carpeted structure surrounded by flashing yellow lights and movie posters on every screen around them.

The two were staring at a large selection of movies on a black board with red lights resembling words.

"Whatcha wanna watch?" Button asked, juggling the bucket of popcorn in his mouth, a quarter drunk bottle of cola resting on the salted yellow pile.

"Dunno, maybe a comedy I guess".

"How about….Double rainboom or Equestria girls the movie" Button pointed out, stumbling back and forth with the refreshments.
"Hmm….oow lets watch Cupcakes, I saw the trailer for it, seems good".

"You kidding me, that shit's creepy, I thought you said comedy..plus I hate when they try to do that whole found-footage thing"
"Oh fine, how about...hmm, oh how about Pride and prejudice".

"Sound decent, let go get the tickets" .

The couple trotted over and stood in line, the queue looked as if it would take half an hour to wait in, there was a re-showing of Pitch Perfect that every mare from three towns onward was attending.

Button began slowly munching on the pop-corn as he waited, listen to three young school fillies talk about how many of the twilight books they’ve read. His ears kept perking up as he heard the faint sounds effects and buzzes coming from the arcade next to him, his eyes longing staring at the flashing machines like a hungry puppy.

"Hey..uh babe...can I?".

"Oh go on, no sense in torturing you here" Smiled the mare, taking the tall stack of snacks of his head.

"How scr…..wanna come?" Button asked, extending an arm to her.

"What about the tickets?".

"Scarlet, were third from the back and the line's moving as fast as snail on heroin, I’ve got a few bits on me, let’s go have a match.
The mare grabbed his hoof and joined him, both the two wandering into the dark oasis of arcade machines and DDR dance pads, flashing lights and glowing screens soaked the room with neon colours and static noises.

The couple searched the arcade for a fun game to play together, walking past fruit ninja touchpad games, Silent hill pachinko machines and cut the string claw grabbers till they ended at the back of the room with a stack of gold bits atop the plastic counter, hooves wrapped on red joysticks, the glory of Street fighter II at their eye-line glowed bright on the glass screen in the dark stuffy arcade.

"Ready to get Schmecked son" taunted Scarlet, selecting Ken as Button picked Ryu and replied with "Bring it on Bitch-tits". The game choosing guile's stage as the reverberated sounds spewed out from the warm plastic of the arcade machine.

The music began to play.

The teeth began to grit.

The ponies hovered their hooves over the plastic red and white buttons.

"3-2-1-FIGHT!"