Caring Heart brought her cloth down on the bookshelf one last time. Finally, she had dusted her entire house. It’d only taken an hour. She’d also organized all the bookshelves, made sure the dishes were washed and done the laundry. (She wasn’t sure why they had so many clothes since, being ponies, they rarely wore them.) Yep. Every room in the house was cleaned up, straightened and organized. Nothing was out of place. Just to be completely sure she scanned the living room. Everything looked good. She then trotted through the kitchen which was so clean it sparkled in the noontime sun. The dishes were all put away in the cabinet, but if they had been taken out their brightness in the sun could have blinded someone. She could almost swear she saw a radiance coming from behind the cabinet door. She trotted through the other rooms of her little bungalow. Every speck of dust had been banished from her domestic kingdom, which she presided over like an empress over an empire. She paused at one of the door and took a deep breath. She then walked to another door, walked back around to the kitchen, inspected it again, took calm breaths, took a “mommy timeout” which involved some “special juice” borrowed from Berry Punch, watched the next episode of her favorite soap opera and read a magazine. She then trotted around her remarkable clean cottage once more. She paused at the same offending door. Then she took more deep breaths.
Yes. Every room in the house was perfectly clean.
Except this one.
She wasn’t going to yell or scream or spank him. Okay. She might spank him. Besides, he might have cleaned his room. She had confiscated his video games, what else could he do? She sighed and decided to take a relaxing shower. After letting the water massage her light brown hair, yellow-brown coat and sinuous curves she felt as if she was going to be able to calmly deal with the mess on the other side of The Door.
She wasn’t. She opened the door and was utterly unprepared for the mess that greeted her. Unlike the rest of the house which was essentially a shrine to domestic order Button’s room looked like a tornado had torn through it. Toys and video games were scattered all over the floor. Papers were scattered over his desks. Video game discs were liberally scattered throughout the rest of the scatter. In the center of the maelstrom sat a dark brown, chubby colt mashing away on a video game controller.
Caring Heart’s eye twitched. She closed the door. Your talent is motherhood, remember? You can deal with this. You CAN deal with this.
She opened the door again. Most of the time Button Mash was a sweet, well-behaved child. Most of the time. She had been trying to get him to clean his room all day. She had scolded him. She had coaxed him. She had bribed him with cookies. She had made him sit in the corner. She had taken away his video games (which he must have gotten back when she wasn’t looking.) No matter what she did, he continued playing his World of Warcraft “quest” while stewing in his own filth. His eyes had glazed over at this point.
“Button Mash, if you don’t put down that video game right this minute I am going to spank you.” She said in her sternest “scary mommy voice” which she had learned from her mother.
“That’s nice, Mom.” Button replied.
Her eye twitched again. “I mean it, mister.”
“Daisy sandwich.” Button replied.
“I’ll take you out to the woodshed and whip your rear.”
“Sounds nice.” Button said, completely absorbed in a fight with an orc.
“Your real dad’s a dragon. When you turn thirteen you’ll grow dragon wings out your butt.”
“That’s nice.”
She growled and ripped the cord out the wall, cutting off the game. Button Mash continued pressing the buttons on his controller for several seconds before realizing the screen was black.
“Seriously, Button, I’m getting worried about you. Anyway, it’s time for your spanking.”
“Can’t you spank me after I finish my quest?”
“You’ve been playing that silly game for four hours give it a rest!” She grabbed his hoof and sat him up. “Now, this is going to hurt me more than you so don’t make it more difficult.”
She sat on the bed and bent him over her lap.
“Wait! What about a bet?”
“Excuse me?”
“If you can beat me in a video game you can spank me, I’ll clean up my room and do the dishes for the next month.”
“And if I lose?” She asked strangely intrigued. She hadn’t placed a bet since her college days. She should be giving him swats for his audacity, but she was interested in the idea. She loved the thrill of chance games, games in general really.
“You have to clean up my room.”
She chuckled. Of all the lame attempts to get out of a punishment this took the cake.
“No way.” She said lifting her hoof.
“Afraid you’ll lose?” Button asked, a cheeky tone to his voice.
Caring lowered her hoof.
“Button, darling, who taught you everything you know about video games?” She asked, letting him off her lap. She then trotted over to the outlet and plugged it back in. “Remember Trotten back in the day, hmm?”
“Y-yeah.” Button said, suddenly regretting this bet. He shuffled his hoof. “I’ve gotten a lot better since then.”
“How much better?” She asked. She picked up a copy of Trotten. It was out of its case, scratched. Warm feelings filled her heart. She had spent countless hours playing this game with her little Button. She still did every time she got the chance. She would beat him easily. She needed something a little more challenging. A fight game? Strategy? She grinned before putting Trotten back in its case.
“Wait right here.” She said before leaving the room. “By the way, at least put up your games. If Trotten gets ruined you are in soooo much trouble.”
She trotted out the door and went to her room. There she had a shelf she unofficially called the Hall of Unbeatable Games I Beat. She briefly wondered why she hadn’t got a cutie mark in gaming. She picked up Equine Combat-Ponygeddon. Then she went back to Button’s room. To the colt’s credit he had picked up some of the games.
“Time to learn a lesson newby.” She announced as she put the game into the playstation and took a controller. Button took a controller and sat next to her. She skipped the intro. Button chose a ninja. His eyes widened as Caring chose a large dragon. The ninja pony bounced on the screen throwing attacks at the dragon. The dragon let loose an attack that Button’s ninja pony tried to block, but the dragon still took his life points with two strikes. Button winced as the first round ended. On the second round Button’s ninja pony stayed out of range of each attack. Caring’s style was aggressive using quick attacks that the ninja pony could just barely dodge. When the ninja pony let loose a flurry of punches the dragon blocked each one, then a hammer appeared in its hand. The dragon slammed the ninja pony with the hammer in a flurry of attacks. Button’s mouth dropped as his life points dropped to zero. The fights had lasted ten minutes. The third round almost went in his favor. He sent his character forward with several aggressive attacks and strikes. The ninja also drew his sword, slashing at the dragon. Caring winced as a slash took quite a bit from her life points. A second, then third slash took even more points. She lashed out with the hammer, but Button dodged it. Then with several combo attacks the ninja leapt into the air and slashed downward. Caring growled again as her life points were nearly at zero. The dragon just barely dodged the ninja then came down with the hammer in one final stroke that smashed the ninja.
“GAME OVER!” The announcer shouted.
“Fuck!” Button shouted.
…
Button sighed as he was taken over his mom's lap. His mouth still tasted like soap.
“Who’s mama’s little newbie? Huh? Who’s mama’s little newbie?” Caring asked as she brought down her hoof across Button’s bottom. Button yelped and squirmed earning yet more swats. Caring’s hoof fell in a rhythm across her son’s behind, first striking his right then left flank. She peppered his bottom with the smacks.
“Hm? You gonna listen to your mama from now on?”
She punctuated each word with a smack. He squirmed and struggled over her lap, his body giving a little jump each time her hoof connected with his rear. His bottom reddened with each spank.
“I asked you a question! Are you gonna listen to your mama from now on?”
Each word was punctuated with a spank connected with Button’s sit spot, eliciting cries from the little colt.
“Wah! Yes! I’m sorry Mommy! I’ll listen from now on! I swear!”
“Shh, it’ll be over soon.” Caring assured as she returned to alternating the spanks. She gave a barrage of spanks to his right flank then moved her hoof, giving a flurry of spanks to his left flank. Button buried his face in the sheets of his bed while the barrage of smacks connected with his bottom.
SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!
Button’s bottom was now a bright shade of cherry red. She finished the spanking with three firm swats to his rump. She then picked him up on her lap. He buried his face in her chest. She gently stroked his mane while cradling him with her other hoof.
“You’re a good boy, Button.” She whispered, kissing his forehead. “But you’re going to have to clean your room.”
“Y-yes, Mama. Can I just stay here for a while?” He wrapped his hooves around her neck. She rubbed his back, cuddling him close to her. They stayed like that for a while as she stroked his back and cuddled him till he stopped sniffling.
“Mama?”
“Hm?”
“After I clean my room can we play that game again?”
“Let’s do it together then we can go a few more rounds.”
Button hopped off of Caring’s lap. Between them they had the room cleaned up in an hour. Caring made it clear that she was only helping him, not doing it for him. Button dutifully picked up all the toys on his floor and even attempted to vacuum before realizing the vacuum was too big for him. Then he got tangled up in the wires and fell on his already sore tush. Caring gave him a quick hug and a cloth to dust with. She then took over the vacuum while he dusted his shelves.
“See, was that so hard?” Caring asked as they stood in the now clean room.
“Yeah, I guess not.” Button admitted. “So, I want to play that game again.”
“Hmm, alright.”
She put on the game again and took a controller. Button sat down beside her and took a controller of his own.
“Hey, wanna make another bet?” He asked as he chose Briaju the lightning warrior-god for his character. She chose her favorite, Onega the Dragon.
“Because the last bet went so well for you.” She teased. He stuck his tongue and she tickled his side.
“If I win I get Dad’s toy moustache for a week!”
“I don’t know, you’d have to ask him about that.”
“But he never wears it! And he’s not here!”
That was a good point. “Fine. If you can beat me. If I win, you’re taking the trash out for a month.”
Braiju let out a bolt of lightning. Onega dodged it. Unfortunately, Braiju was quite a bit faster than Onega. With a quick succession of button mashing Button Mash made Braiju unleash a barrage of kicks and punches. Onega could only block a few of them. Onega then brought his hammer down hard against the lightning god. Braiju was sent flying into a wall. Onega followed this up with a kick that Braiju blocked before letting out another lightning attack. This time Onega didn’t block the lightning and writhed before crashing into the wall. He got back up and swung the hammer wildly. Braiju ducked and dodged, but several strikes connected directly. Just before his life points gave out completely he sent more lightning out. Onaga dodged and gave Braiju one more whack with the hammer.
“ONAGA WINS!” The announcer shouted.
“Fu-fudge!” Button shouted.
“Good save.” Caring complimented. “And good gameplay. Better luck next time.”
The next round started.
“Any more ideas for a bet?” Caring asked, wondering why she was encouraging this. The thrill of the bet. It made her feel young again. She was only thirty. She was young come to think of it.
“Um…if I win this next round you have to clean my room for the next month? Oh, and I get the moustache!”
“Fine if you win. If I win you have to clean mine.”
Button grinned. The next match went in her favor almost. Maybe she’d gotten overconfident. Maybe Button really hated cleaning his room. In any case, Braiju attacked Onaga with his most powerful attacks. Onaga swung his hammer and the attacks connected several times. But, Button was getting better. He dodged most of the attacks and sent out a flurry of lightning. Caring’s life points went down to zero.
Fuck! Caring thought then bit down on her lip before she said it. She patted Button’s head.
“You beat Onaga, I’m so proud.”
Button beamed.
“I’m gonna get the ‘stache!” Button chirped. He practically bounced out the room and came back wearing the ‘stache. She disguised her fit of giggles as a cough.
“One more round?” She asked.
“One more round!”
“Loser has to clean up my bathroom!” Caring said as Button sat next to her and got the controller. “But how about we play one of my old games? You still have my old video game system?”
“I think. I could never figure it out.”
“Where’d you put it?”
“My closet.”
Caring found it and took it out. She had to show Button how to use it, but after a few preliminary rounds he got the hang of it.
It was a pong battle for the ages. Neither side gave. Both blocked the little electronic ball at every turn. Both were completely absorbed in the game. Caring quickly blocked the ball sending straight towards Button’s side. Button, who really didn’t want to clean her bathroom, blocked it just as fast. He wasn’t quite as fast the next time and the ball sailed right over his paddle.
GAME OVER the machine announced in big block letters.
“Aww…” Button moaned.
“Better luck next time, Kiddo. I’m going to get supper started.”
“Oh. Okay.” Button’s ears drooped.
“Um, is something wrong Button?”
“It’s nothing.”
Caring lifted her son’s chin. “Listen Button. You can tell me anything. If it’s bothering you, it’s not nothing.”
“I…just really liked playing games with you. We don’t do that so much anymore. Not since Daddy left.”
“Daddy didn’t leave. He just went to Zebrica for business.”
“I’m not stupid, Mom.”
Caring sighed. It was true that it was very unlikely Button’s father was coming back.
Wait a minute. His out-of-character disobedience, this silly video game bet…
“Button, have you been acting up to get my attention?”
“Maybe.” Button said, shuffling a hoof. “I just wish we could play like this more often.”
“Okay. Tomorrow, after your date with Sweetie Belle, we can play a few rounds. How’s that sound?”
Button smiled. “That sounds great.”
“Want to help me make supper?”
Button nodded, still smiling broadly. He pranced after her as he left the room.
It was long past bedtime at Button Mash’s house. Celestia’s sun had set long ago and the younger sister had raised the moon. Caring and Button had had a lovely supper and then Button had been sent off to bed. Caring swayed slightly as she went to get the wine bottle and poured herself a second glass. It was long past her self-appointed bedtime, but she didn’t frankly give a buck. She sat down at the table and sipped the nectar of the Gods. It tasted sweet with just a hint of bitterness.
Wandering Love, you bastard…your son needs you. I wonder what you’re doing right now? She smiled wryly. Or who you’re doing. She drank some more of the wine, a bit more this time. Button’s revelation had brought up some unpleasant thoughts. She had started thinking about it. Ever since Wandering had left Button had changed. He’d always loved video games-she loved them too-but he played them more and more. A few weeks ago he had stayed up all night to play a game. He had become fascinated, even obsessed, with his father’s old things. He had actually gone to sleep wearing the ridiculous gag moustache. He had started wanting to sleep in bed with her, a habit she had tolerated. Maybe, just maybe, even embraced. His presence in her bed made the bed feel less lonely. Made Wandering’s absence less notable. She was there and that was all Button needed. But what about what she needed?
I liked playing games with you. You don’t do that anymore. Not since Daddy left. The words rang in her ears because there was truth to them. Wandering still sent money, but she had had to get a second job. She hadn’t been able to spend as much time with her family, not as much as she wanted to. Today had in fact been the first time she’d taken time to play with her son in four months. It was the first time in a year she had spanked him. Normally, Button was well-behaved and she didn’t need to go that far. Although, apparently, he’d only been acting out to get her attention. Had she been so neglectful that he’d had to go that far just to get her to spend time with him?
Apparently, so. I thought you were GOOD at being a mom, Caring. Have you considered that you misinterpreted your cutie mark? Maybe your special talent is dairy farming. Maybe you actually suck at being a mom just like you suck at being a wife.
She glared at a family picture on a shelf. She pointed an accusing hoof at Wandering Love.
“This is your damn fault, ya know. Stallions are supposed to protect their families. Now, I’m drunk and it’s all your fault. And Button…Button’s not okay.”
She drained the rest of the glass. “Not that we need you. Not that we ever needed you.”
That’s not true. That’s not true and you know it. Get a grip, Caring. You need to be strong. For Button and for Shortcut. Actually, she wasn’t sure where her eldest son was at the moment. She suspected he was at his marefriend’s home. He had gone on a date with her earlier that night. They were going to have to have a talk in the morning.
Just a talk. I’m going to hold off on punishing them. I’ve been doing that too much lately. I don’t want them to start being afraid of me.
She stood up and almost went to get another glass. No. No, I need to get a grip. This isn’t helping me. This is only making things worse. She placed the glass in the sink, took the wine bottle from the refrigerator and poured it all down the sink. She then tossed the bottle in the trash.
“Mommy? Are you alright?”
Caring stiffened. Hopefully, that was just an alcohol-induced hallucination. She turned around. Her little son was standing behind her, an expression of concern on his adorable face.
“Mommy’s just…a little sad right now.”
“Oh.”
Button scampered over to the refrigerator and pulled out a cookie.
“Button, it’s too late for cookies-”
He held the cookie out to her. “When I’m sad I eat cookies. I just thought…”
Caring’s heart melted. She took the cookie and ate it.
“What are you doing up anyway?” She asked. “Did ya have a nightmare?”
“No, I had to go to the bathroom, but I heard a funny noise in the kitchen and I thought it might be zombies so I went to see what it was and then I saw you.”
Caring nodded. “Well, there are no zombies around. Go back to bed.”
“Why are you sad?” Caring asked.
“Because…Button, do you think I’m a good mommy?”
Button nodded enthusiastically. “The best!”
“But today…you were right I…” She struggled to get her thoughts together, alcohol and sadness making it difficult to think. “I might have been too harsh with you. I don’t want the only time we spend time together to be when I’m punishing you for something. Does that make sense?”
Button shuffled a hoof. “I should’ve just cleaned my room.”
“Yeah, but…” No more wine for you, young filly. “You were just trying to get my attention. You shouldn’t have had to do that.”
“I know.” He paused. “You are a good mommy. You spent the day playing with me even though I was bad and didn’t really deserve it.”
“Button, you always deserve my time.”
“And when I was sick you took time off from work and made me hay soup and you didn’t yell at me that time I wet the bed and whenever I have a nightmare you let me sleep with you. Oh, and when I lost the high score at World of Warcraft to Sugary Chime-whoever she is-you made me extra cookies. And anytime I cry you always hug me.”
Caring embraced him. He rested a head on her shoulder.
“Are you okay, Mommy?” He asked, hugging her.
“I will be, sweetie. Sometimes, I just get sad. I miss your Dad.”
“I do too.” Button said a little quietly. Then he smiled. “But I have you so I’ll be alright.”
Caring patted his back. “We’ll both be, Button. We’ll both be.”
