Button Mash and the Machine for Ponies

He who makes a beast of himself, removes himself from the pain of being a pony.

~Dr. Samuel Johnson

Sweetie Belle ran after Button Mash as he descended into the deadly forest. Upon entering, not even one thousand suns could light the forest. Once you passed the first tree, everything was blacked out. Button Mash was five meters ahead, and completely out of Sweetie Belle's sight. Sweetie found herself lost about halfway in.

"Button..?" She called. No answer. She ran farther in. "Button?!" She called again. Nothing.

Button!

Suddenly, Sweetie felt something on her shoulder. She jumped back in fright.

"I'm here Sweetie." Button said. "Follow me, something is wrong and we need to find out what it is."

"Why?" Sweetie asked.

"Because we need to, now come on." Button said. He started walking in the direction of his overcoming feeling. Sweetie sighed, as it was the only choice she had to follow.

☣☢☣

After a few minutes of walking, the two found something strange. It was a type of recording device. Button looked at the strange device. He had not really seen anything similar to it, or like it at all for that matter. A custom design, he could tell, there were strange patterns and designs all over it. None of them seemed to match up in any way shape or form. It seemed to be crafted of oak wood, with some clockwork machinery in it. It was small, but it had some cylinder in it that Button assumed was something for recording audio. It didn't fit in with it's environment. The dark green grass on the ground made it stick out, as it was a light brown color. The trees from the forest dark grey trunks and leaves made it seem to glow. Button noticed a crank, and decided to hear what was recorded. He put his hoof down to the crank and touched it. To his surprise it went on it's own.

"You don't mind if I record this do you?"

"Not at all professor."

"My my, this is very convenient, where do you get these?"

"It's a design of my own, professor."

"Oh yes yes, I see. You do know why I'm here don't you? Because 'they' have...concerns?"

"Yes professor, I know that very well."

"Well let us start with a few questions, you told me about some...engineer of yours?"

"Yes, he is much like me."

"And...a machine?"

"Yes, professor. One that will fix this world."

"And how will it do so?"

"It is a machine for pigs. It will destroy all of the pigs in this world, and bring about a new one, to safe humanity."

"I admire your vision Mr. Mandus, I truly do! There are just not enough pigs in the whole of Equestria to feed the appetite of such a machine."

"That would all rather depend, professor, on what one would call a pig."

Button put down the device. After hearing those last two sentences. He knew what nightmare he had just been drug into. The machine existed, and he knew he and Sweetie were the next two victims. As far has he knew, he had to find a way out. He didn't know what mysterious force gave him the urge to enter, but it was some strange feeling. It was definitely a good reason NEVER to go to Everfree again, however.

"I don't know where the exit is!" Button said panicking.

"It's okay Button, I know the way out...I think." Sweetie said. "This way." She took his hoof in hers as they made their way though the forest. The deeper they went, the more intense the feeling of loneliness became. After continuous walking and strangely familiar sights, the two became more confused than ever. Sweetie Belle couldn't take it. Couldn't take the stress. For all she knew, was that the end of her life, everything she had ever dreamed of, it was all over. She couldn't help but to think that this may have been her fault for making Button play Machine For Ponies years back. She laid back on a tree and began to cry.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Button asked. He quickly made his way to her.

"This is my fault..." Sweetie said. "I did this..."

"No Sweetie...this isn't your fault." Button said, trying to comfort her. Things quickly took turn for the worst.

"I didn't notice until after we played Machine for Ponies, that it was from the Enchanted Game Store." Sweetie said. Button froze in place. After a few seconds, Button shook his head and smiled.

"Then that means we have to get through this together." Button said. He gave Sweetie Belle a kiss on the cheek and a hug. Sweetie hugged him back.

"You're very optimistic." Sweetie said.

"How can I not be?" Button said. "Even if I were to die, I would die with you, and as long as I get to spend what life I have left with you, I'm okay with that." After hearing this, Sweetie smiled and blushed slightly. He had never really been this emotional in his words before.

"Thanks Button..." Sweetie replied.

"Now lets get going, we have a machine to defeat." Button said. He helped Sweetie up as they kept making their way into the forest.

☣☢☣

As the couple made their way through the forest, the overwhelming feeling of darkness surrounded them. It became stronger, but so did they. Love is light, and light overcomes darkness.

Darkness runs from light.

DaRkNeSs Is LiGhT...