Griefby BronyAugustusChaptersThe nightThe meetingThe visions part 1: coming homeThe visions part 2: friendsThe visions part 3: a broken heartThe dateThe nightButton sat on the edge of his bed, looking at his dresser. Lined up on top of it, cast into a pale light by the moon light streaming in through the window, were three of his most valued objects. First was the photo of him and his father in manehattan. That was a fun vacation. He smiled, his first genuine smile in several days. He remembered their snowball fight in central park. Watching a play in one of the famous theaters. Even the carriage ride. They had such a great time. Much better than he had had in some time. Next to that was his first gamecolt. He got it on hearthswarming when he was 8. He took excellent care of it, and even though it was way out of date, he never sold it or gave it away. It was special to him. He was once almost never seen without it, but after his dad died, it had too many memories attached to it. The last object was the most painful: a triangular case with an equestrian flag folded within. His father was a proud former member of the royal guard. He had even saved princess Celestia's life during an assassination attempt. She had even appeared at the funeral. He was proud of his dad's service, but he hated the constant reminder of his father's death. Things had gotten pretty rough. His mom was working hard to support them both, running herself ragged in at least two jobs at any given time. But she was managing it. It helped that he hadn't bought any new games in a while. His grades weren't doing very well. He tried, and some days he did well, but he could never put his full effort into it anymore. In fact, that is how everything seemed recently. He was hurting inside more and more by the day, and nothing but memories seemed to pull any real emotions other than sadness out of him. His mother, bless her soul, had fixated on his grades, and was thus so worried about his future that she was completely ignoring the issues he currently having. Of course, she was working so hard, he was surprised she noticed much at all. His eyes moved to a more unsuspecting yet much more ominous object: a bottle of rounded tablets. They were simple over-the-counter pain killers, but he knew that if he downed the whole bottle it would kill him. And that was the plan. He was tired of feeling sad all of the time, and he had really given up on things ever getting better. So, he was going to kill himself. He would come home from school tomorrow, pull out the suicide note he had written, leave it somewhere his mom would easily find it, and then he would take all of the pills in the bottle and lay down on his bed. That would be it. No more pain, no more grief, just sleep. The note was largely goodbyes to friends and family. The largest section was devoted to the one thing that he had hoped for. Sweetie Belle. But now that she was seemingly in a good relationship with pip, and seemed very happy, that last hope was gone. He couldn't bare to break them up if she was happy. He apologized for fawning over her so much and wished her well in her relationship and in general. Next was his mom. He asked her not to grieve too much over him, and to go on with her life. He told her that she was a wonderful mother, and this wasn't her fault. She had done her best. To the rest of his friends and family, he thanked them for trying to help him feel better. He thanked them for all of the gifts, all of the time, and all of the love that they had given him. But it just wasn't enough. There were just somethings, some wounds, that were beyond the power of friendship, or even family, to heal. He laid down, planning out the next day. He was going to school, it was monday after all, then he would come straight home. No distractions. His mind was made up: he was going to do this. Nothing could convince him otherwise. Meanwhile, in Canterlot... "So you see, sister, he could really use a dream intervention." "Yes, and so can a large number of ponies across equestria," huffed Princess Luna, and she added "and I could really use a night off, sister." It wasn't that Luna minded helping her sister, but she had a tendency of asking favors at the worst times. "Listen, I know about your dream date with starlight." "Wait, what! How do you know?" Luna blushed. Celestia let out a loud laugh. "Part lucky guess. I try to keep tabs on all the ex-villains in my kingdom, and Twilight is more observative than she sometimes seems. I've known about you two dating for several weeks. Anyways, it was about the only reason I could think of for you to want a night off." "Why is this colt so important to you." Luna baited, trying to change the subject. Celestia took the bait. "His dad saved my life once. I feel like I owe him something. Anyway, isn't this kind of thing your job." "Yes, but my powers do have a limit. You know very well I can't get to everypony on the edge. And even if I could, I couldn't save all of them. I can provide comfort and care, but in the end it's up to them to save themselves." Celestia put on her pleading face "Sister, please. How often do I ask you to do something like this?" "Whenever I have something I would rather be doing." Celestia continued to look at her pleadingly. It was cute. "Oh, alright! I'll see what I can do." she said, and added in a more grim tone: "But remember, in the end it's up to him to save himself. I may do everything in my power, and it might still accomplish nothing if it's too late." Celestia sighed. "I know, I just want so desperately to help him, but I can't directly intervene. Please do your best, sister." "I will, Sister. I will..." The meetingButton was never a lucid dreamer, so he knew rather quickly that something was definitely up. He was sitting on the edge of a lake. It took him a second to realize exactly where it was, because the last time he saw it it was frozen over, complete with ponies skating on it. "Central park lake?" He exclaimed, his voice cutting through a silence he hadn't noticed. "Yes, little one." Button turned around, surprised at hearing a complete stranger's voice in his dream. When he saw who it was, he immediately bowed. "Princess Luna!" "Yes, little one. No need to bow: in the realm of dreams, we are all equals." "In that case," he responded, "please stop calling me 'little one'." "Shall I call you Mr Mash?" Button winced. "Button would be fine, please." Luna nodded. "Button, then." She added in her head: "He's still sensitive about his dad. That will prove useful." "Why are you here." Button asked. Luna, not paying attention, misheard. "I know not. I cast the connection spell, but it was your mind that created this place. It's really you who should answer that question." "No, I meant why are you here?" "Oh." She deepened her voice. "Button Mash, your life stands at an impass. Two roads lie before you. One leads to tragedy for more than just you." "And the other?" "The other leads onward. To where, I can not see. I only see what may happen, and only on certain paths." Luna then smiled warmly. "Feel free to confide in me or do anything you wish while we're together. I have sworn myself to secrecy on the matters of dreams. Whatever happens here is confidential." Button got a wicked smile: "So if I kissed you, you wouldn't tell?" Luna laughed. "Well, I would probably slap you, especially since I have a mare friend, but no, I would not tell a soul." Button continued to smile, but she read into it quite easily. She made a mental note that he was hiding his grief behind a false smile. She always found those types the hardest to save. His smile disappeared. "So I take it you're here because I'm suicidal." That was blunt. "Yes. It's my job to guide those who are lost. Such as I did with your friend Sweetie Belle. Although her situation was much different, she was lost, much as you are." It was a vague and desperate shot in the dark, but it found its mark. She noticed a slight but genuine blush at the mention of Sweetie Belle's name. "So he likes her. I think I now know the last point I need tonight." She thought to herself. Once she had made note of the crack in his emotional defenses, she moved on. "You are more important to more ponies than you know. You need to see some of the possibilities that may result from your actions before you decide on a course. That is my job." He sighed, and sat down. Luna began to worry that she was losing him. It was a fairly common problem with teenagers during these interventions: they would often slip into the mindset that this was just another adult trying to lecture them without any real knowledge of what the problem was. Their emotional shields would go up, and they would tune her out. So she played a careful risk. She sat beside him and put one of her wings around him. When he didn't resist this, she turned his head with her wing and looked him in the eyes. Then she began to talk: "Listen, I know that I sound like just another lecturing adult. But you are making a huge choice, and you need to be absolutely certain it is the right one. And I can assure you, there is a lot more to what you will experience this night than mere words. I can, and I will, show you glances of what may come to pass if you decide to continue on the path you have laid out for yourself." She stood, as did he. "But I can not choose your path for you, only try to inform your decision. It is up to you on what to do once I leave. If, after this night, you decide to continue along your current path, I cannot stop you. But I will warn you about this much: it will lead to much grief for many you care about. That is what I am here to show you." He looked her in the eyes again. "So where do we start?" Luna lit her horn, and a door appeared. Button gasped, for it was just like the front door of his house. "Where better to start than at home?" Luna cringed inwardly at the cheesey line, but Button took no notice. She opened the door slowly. Button wondered what he would see behind the door. Anticipation mounted as he watched it open. Then, as the door opened just enough to see inside it, he gasped as he saw:... Nothing. It opened to reveal more of the endless night that seemed to surround them. "Why can't I see anything inside?" "Because you must go through the door to see what's on the other side." He approached the door, and, after just a moment of hesitation, he trotted in, the darkness seeming to suddenly envelope him. "How's it going, sister?" Luna spun around, and saw her sister's reflection in the lake. "Sister, I've told you before, don't interfere in my work." "I know, but this case is special to me. So how is it going?" Luna sighed, realising it was a waste of time to try to convince her sister to leave her alone. "Well, he reminds me of me during my time under nightmare moon's control. He's a lot younger, but with the same lack of any real hope." "Wait. Luna, sister, you were suicidal?" "He's going to be a tough case. Indeed, I can already tell that he is fully ready to kill himself, and it seems that he is set quite firmly to it." "Sister! Don't ignore me!" Luna plunged her hoof in the water, breaking up the image. "I hope my plan works, for his sake, as well as that of so many others." She turned and, with a final backward glance at the lake, she walked through the open door... Author's Note Sorry for how info dense this chapter is, but I needed to intro a new plot point. A thanks to all my readers. You're a great audience. The visions part 1: coming homeDisoriented by the sudden transition, Button took a second to realize where he was. It seemed odd, until he realized it was his living room. But not quite. It was almost as if every was... Fuzzy. Like he was seeing it through a thin mist. "Luna, why is everything fuzzy?" No answer. "Luna?" He looked around. He couldn't see Luna anywhere. "Great. Now what's gone wrong." Luna appeared, as if she had walked through an invisible door. He noticed that she was clear looking, unlike her surroundings. "Sorry about that. My dear sister insisted on speaking to me immediately." Deciding not to push the subject, Button re asked his question "Why is everything fuzzy around the edges?" "This is a glimpse of how things might turn out. Since it is just a vision, it's not perfectly in focus." "Umm..." "If you want a more thorough explanation, try asking princess Twilight. I'm sure she'll give you a complete lecture on clairvoyance, though I'd advise you to set aside a few hours before you do." "Oh." Button quickly decided that he was satisfied with Luna's explanation. "So, when is this?" "Tomorrow. In this time line, you have followed through with your plan. You killed yourself several hours ago." At that moment, Button heard the front door open. "Button! I'm home!" His heart skipped a beat. So this was what Luna was going to show him "Button?" She came into view. She looked tired, as she always did after work. She sighed and put her saddlebag down. "Button, come down here! I'm going to need your help making dinner!" She waited a few moments, and when he didn't respond, she walked towards his room. They followed her. "Come out here, Button." She was growing worried, and her voice showed it. She opened his door and smiled, thinking he was asleep. "Okay, nap time's over. Get up." She walked up to his bed and nudged him with her hoof. He didn't move. She nudged him harder. Still nothing. Button's mom started crying "No... NO! Not my little foal. Why?" She fell to the floor, crying hysterically. Luna spoke up. "Let's move on a few minutes." The scene instantly blurred. Within a second Button found himself back in the living room, Luna by his side. He could see into the kitchen, where his mom and nurse Redheart were talking. "What happened?" asked his mom. "It's a little early to tell, but we think it was an overdose on painkillers." "But why!" His mother sounded like she was on the verge of tears. "Maybe this will shed some light on this situation." She handed Button's mom a note. She read it over, and began to cry again. "It's my fault!" "No, it's not your fault." "But it is! Maybe if I had payed more attention to him, or maybe if I had..." Nurse Redheart cut her off. "Don't start asking yourself the what ifs. You need to hang on here. You did your best. But sometimes that's just not enough." Button's mom was still sobbing. "I've been being strong for so long. It's been so hard for me to carry on like this. After my husband died, I had to start working again. I've had a hard time at my job. Mr Rich is a good boss, but his wife is so horrible...and...and I've had so little time with Button. I love him, but with all I've had to do, we almost never talk. And he's been so distant lately, it's like I don't know him anymore...or I didn't know him... Oh faust, what I wouldn't give for one last chance to tell him 'I love you.'" Nurse Redheart hugged her. "I know how you feel. My sister killed herself when I was in college. I always wish I could have a chance to say goodbye." Luna cleared her throat, catching Button's attention. "Time for another jump." The scene blurred once more. The living room now contained several individuals, all dressed in black and talking quietly. Button's mother, wearing a black veil, sat across the coffee table from nurse Redheart. The two were talking. "So, Mrs. Mash, how are you feeling?" "I wish I could say I feel better. It still hurts a lot. I wish I could have a chance to actually say goodbye." She began to cry. "That's it, Let it out. It's better than holding it in." "I'll never see him smile again, never see him bounce with joy at the sight of a new game." She smiled a weak smile. "I remember the first multi player system we got him. He and his dad would play on that thing for hours. He even slept on the couch one night when he fell asleep in here. And they both did everything together." Nurse Redheart laughed. "They sound a lot like my sister and my dad. I was always closer to mom, but she was always closer to dad. They did almost everything together." Button's mom frowned, and put her head in her hooves, on the edge of tears. "Oh faust, why did I have to lose both of them, and so close together. I feel like don't have anypony else left. I've lost so much." "No, you have plenty of ponies that care about you. Just look around. Everypony in this room cares very much about you." "I know. I just feel so hopeless." The scene froze. Luna turned to Button. "What do you think now?" Button had tears in his eyes, but he answered "She's hurt, but she'll recover. She's already got a good friend with whom she can sympathize. She'll get better after a while." Luna sighed. He was fighting it. She remembered when she was suicidal. She was so sure it was her only option, she shut out all reasoning that tried to dissuade her. She would have to work harder if she was going to save him. She cast a spell, creating a door resembling the front door of sugar cube corner. "Are you ready for the next vision?" Button nodded. "Then let's go." Author's Note A special thanks to Duckgame4life. Thanks for inspiring me to continue writing this. Your great inspiration. The visions part 2: friendsWhile the second transition was a little less confusing, it was still very weird. Button took a second to figure out where he was. "Sugar cube corner?" "Yes. Your friends meet here almost every day, do they not?" "Yes." "Then let us watch." The bell on the door rang, and Button turned to see three fillies enter. On the left was Apple bloom, on the right, Scootaloo, and in between them was Sweetie belle. Button's heart nearly broke at the sight of her. She looked like a mess. Her mane was tangled and disorderly, and the dark circles under her eyes suggested that she hadn't slept in some time. Her eyes were also puffy, suggesting she had been crying. Apple bloom spoke up. "It's real nice of you to join us today, Sweetie belle. We've seen so little of you since the...the funeral." They sat at a table. Pinkie trotted out of the kitchen, a tray of fresh muffins in hoof. As she moved towards the display case next to the counter, she shouted "Hello! I'll be there in a second!" Once she was finished with the muffins, she went to the table. "What can I get you, and don't worry about the price: I'll pick up the tab!" Apple bloom ordered a slice of apple pie and iced tea. Scootaloo ordered some blueberry cobbler and a soda. "And what about you, Sweetie belle? The usual: A slice of cheesecake and a Vanilla shake?" Sweetie belle cringed at the mention of the shake. "No, thank you. Just a water will be nice." Pinkie looked her over for a second, and then decided to fill the orders. She zipped off to the kitchen. It was a few moments after that the door opened, and in walked two mares. Button immediately recognized one as Spoiled Rich, the wife of his mom's boss. The two were talking to each other. "So, hows the Secretary holding up." said the unknown mare. "Oh, that mare, she's such a drama queen. So your son decided to rid this world of another retarded peasant. So what." Sweetie Belle's ears perked up, and she got a very angry expression. "And she wanted a few days off after he killed himself. If she wanted to just pick and choose when she would work, she should have been a whore. It's what she deserves." Seeing Sweetie Belle getting more and more angry, Scootaloo put her hoof across Sweetie's chest and whispered "She's not worth it." The two mares walked up to the counter. "The bitch is after my husband and his money, I can tell. The way she looks at him says it all. As if he would fall for a common slut off the streets, when he has me! In fact, I would be willing to bet that spawn of her's wasn't even her husband's." By now, Sweetie Belle was seething with rage, and was being held back by both of her friends. "I mean, she has slutty milf written all over her. I bet the foal killed himself because he found out he was a bastard." Sweetie Belle broke free of her friend's attempts to restrain her, and tackled the foul mouthed mare. "Don't you DARE insult Button mash or his mom ever again!" She struck the mare across the nose, which began to bleed. "You are nothing more than a bitchy, rude, and heartless mare! He was a thousand times more deserving of his life than you!" She got off of the mare, who got up and ran for the door. Sweetie turned to the other mare and said: "Get your flank out of here!" The mare slowly backed out, a scared look in her eyes. When she was gone, Sweetie Belle realized Pinkie was standing behind her. "Uh... Your not going to kick me out, are you?" "Normally I would, buuuut," She hugged Sweetie Belle "I can hardly blame you for doing what you did. Go, sit with your friends." Sweetie sat down, once again between her friends, both of whom were still in shock. Scootaloo spoke first. "That...was awesome! She was terrified of..." She trailed off, noticing that Sweetie Belle was on the verge of tears. "What's the matter." "I just,... I loved him okay." she began to cry. "I.... I know I was dating Pip, but I just got tired of waiting for him to notice me. It... Me and Pip weren't serious, but I feel... I feel like I'm to blame for him..." She became too hysterical to speak. Instead, she got up and galloped off. "Ah hope she'll be okay." Said Apple bloom. Scootaloo looked her in the eyes. "I hope so too." Luna stopped the scene. "I have one more thing to show you before we move on. The scene blurred as they jumped forward several hours. The shop was empty, except for Rarity and Pinkie pie sitting at a table together and talking. "And then she ran out, crying up a storm." "So, is my sister in any trouble?" "No, at least not with me or the Cakes. But I'm worried about her." "So am I. She almost never leaves the boutique, and she barely talks to me at all. She's changed since Button killed himself." "You know she loved him. A lot." "I know, and that's part of the problem. I have no clue about how to comfort her, and neither do our parents. We're lost. We don't know what to do about her." "You comfort her as well as you can. That's all you can do." The grandfather clock upstairs rang out 10:00. It seemed oddly ominous to Button. Rarity got up. "I had better head home. Thanks for the advice." "Your welcome!" The scene froze. Luna looked at Button. "So what do you think now? "I... I don't know. Sweetie Bell's going to be okay, right?" "I'm afraid not, Button. That is the subject of the last vision." She cast a spell, and when he saw the door that appeared, Button's heart began to pound. It was the door to the boutique. "One last vision, Button. One vision left." Author's Note One last part in The Visions. I think you all know where I'm going to go with the next chapter. The visions part 3: a broken heartButton walked through the door with a mixture of nervousness and fear. Half of him desperately hoped that something would intervene, or that somehow his worst fears would prove untrue. The other half knew exactly what he was about to witness, and was futilely trying to brace him for it. He didn't wait for Luna once he was in the third vision. He raced up the stairs, straight for Sweetie Belle's room. He stoped in front of her door, and slowly opened it. What he saw shocked him: A series of scarves, tied into a noose, were hanging from a beam overhead. Sweetie Belle sat on her bed, writing a note with her magic. He trotted up to her. "Sweetie Belle, don't do this. Please. I love you, with all my heart. You're more precious to me than anything else. Please, don't." She didn't seem to notice him. "No! Please don't!" "You can't interfere, you know." He spun around to see Luna standing in the doorway. "She can't see, hear, or feel you. You might as well be a ghost." The clock struck 10. Sweetie Belle put the note down and used her magic to push a chair up under the noose. Button began to panic, unwilling to watch but unable to take his eyes off of the filly he loved. He spoke angrily to Luna without turning to face her again. "Can't you do something!" "I am just as powerless as you." He watched, helpless, as Sweetie Belle climbed on top of the back of the chair. Button saw a bright flash, and the chair fell over. The next few moments became an agonizing eternity. Button watched the flurry of motions helplessly. Her body fell. The scarves pulled taunt. He heard a sickening crunch. He watched her body become still. The eternity ended. He thought he heard Luna speaking to him, but her voice seemed to come from far away. He was crying, but he didn't notice. He got up and trotted towards the bed, intent upon reading her note. It read: Dear Rarity and my friends. I can't go on. I loved Button mash with all of my heart. I've tried, but I know that I'll never heal from losing him. I only wish I had told him that. Then maybe he wouldn't have killed himself. It's my fault. I've lost him. And now I've gone to find him. Goodbye. Button stared at the note. The whole world was spinning, the ground threatening to give way under him And he partly wanted it to. He almost wanted the earth to swallow him up, take him away from here. Because it was his fault. Undeniably. He had killed her. He was why she was hanging from the ceiling. His heart sank. He laid down and began to cry. Luna sat beside him, puting a wing over him. She shed a few tears herself, feeling so sorry for the colt. She knew from experience what it was like to lose the one you love. "There there, Button. This is a vision of the future, not the present. "Luna, is this what is destined?" "Not necessarily. It comes down to you in the end. Remember, this is your choice." "But I feel so hopeless." "Hope only dies when we let it. My sister said that once, after my first love died. I loved him truly." "What... What happened to him?" "Oh we met when he was one of the royal guards. We fell in love quickly. We lived together for years. Got married. Even considered having kids. But one day, the gryphons attacked. Twas a long and bard battle." She sighed. "We won, but he was killed in the fight. A lot of ponies think that it was jealousy that caused me to turn into nightmare moon, and that was probably the root cause. But it was loosing him that drove me over the edge. In fact, the armor I wore as nightmare moon was actually the armor I wore in that battle. I... Was suicidal then. Not just because I saw myself turning into a monster beyond my control, but because I lost hope." He looked up at her, and saw the tears in her eyes. "I started doing this, doing these interventions to guide lost ponies, so that none of them should end up making the same mistake." "Did you ever get over loosing him?" "No, not entirety. I've fallen in love again, and that helped. Loving helps with loss." "You mean Starlight?" "By Starswirl's beard! Does all of equestria know of our relationship!" Button smiled. "Twilight's a good princess, but she can't keep a secret to save her life" Button hugged her. "Thank you. I think I know what I'm going to do." "Very well. But first, a gift." Luna cast a spell. A silver bracelet with a crescent moon appeared. Luna gave it to Button. "This will stay with you when you wake up. If you ever need to contact me, wear this. It will let me know that you wish to see me. I will come, if I can." "Why are you doing this?" "You're the first pony I've done this with. I've had plenty of ponies confess their feelings to me, but never have I confessed mine to them. You're a good colt, and I want, well, I want to be your friend." The two hugged again. "Goodbye, Button. I hope to see you again soon. Do write." "I will." Ponyville, 5:45 a.m. Button sat straight up, wide awake. He looked at his alarm clock and groaned. He had woken up just past the point at which it was pointless to try to go back to sleep. He stretched, and as he did something on one of his hooves caught his eye. It was the bracelet! He stared at it for several minutes, remembering the dream. He took it off and examined it. "If this is real, than that dream was more than just a dream!" he exclaimed aloud. He set the bracelet on his dresser. His course was clear now. He grabbed the bottle of pills and took them into the bathroom, where he set them back in the cabinet where they belonged. He smiled. Today would mark a new begining for him. He would make today better than yesterday. Author's Note Almost done! I'll write one more chapter to this, and then I'll be done. (With this story, but not this universe expect a sequel...eventually.) The datePonyville, one week later Button trotted down the street, heading towards Sugarcube Corner. He and Sweetie Belle were meeting there today. It was their first real date. Pip had been surprisingly understanding, saying he understood Sweetie Belle's point of view. (With a glance towards Diamond tiara.) He had decided to ask her out the day after he had made his choice. He had told her about the dream, but she was the only one who knew the full story. He told his mom that the bracelet was a gift from princess Celestia. She seemed to believe it. He hadn't told her the full story, and he had decided already that he probably wouldn't. He entered the sweets shop. Sweetie Belle was sitting at a table in the corner, and he went to join her. "So, how was your day?" Began Button. "Good, though I had to sneak out of the house. Rarity would have been fussing over me for hours otherwise!" They both laughed. Pinkie walked in. "So, love birds! What do you want!" They both blushed. She smiled. "How about a slice of cheesecake for Sweetie Belle, a slice of key lime for Button, and a large vanilla shake to share." "Sounds good." "It'll be a moment though. I have a client in the back. Filthy Rich is trying to get a cake for his wife's birthday." She shuddered. "You know how picky she can get!"She trotted off to the kitchen. The door opened, and in walked Spoiled Rich, talking on a cellphone. "Yah, I can't believe it either. If she wanted to choose when she worked, she should have been a whore. It's what she deserves." Sweetie looked at Button. "You don't think?" "I don't know. Let's watch." Oblivious to the fact that she was being watched, she continued her conversation. "I know that slut's after Filthy and his money. Well she can have him for all I care. Our prenups say that if we divorce because he cheats, I get every cent he has. After that, she can have him." Button and Sweetie Belle gasped. Spoiled didn't seem to hear. "Hay, no! I never really loved him. I just wanted his money. And so long as he keeps thinking I do love him, I can have it. He's such a doormat. What ever I want, I get. He's so spineless, I'd bet that if he knew all this, he'd still follow me like a lost puppy. He's such a push over." she put the phone on the counter. "Hello! Any pony there!" she picked the phone up and headed for the door. "This place has such lousy service. I don't know what Filthy sees in it!" She left. Not long after, Pinkie emerged, leading a distraught Filthy Rich. "There there. I know it hurts." She lead him to a table "You deserve better than her. The whole town knows that!" "I... I've figured it for a while. But I loved her when we first met. She was charming and seemed so kind. I fell for ber then, and I guess that love blinded me to what she's become. She's just not the mare I married. I guess it was just...an act. Once she had me, she let her true colors show." Pinkie looked over at them. "Sorry, this could be awhile. Want me to get you anything?" Sweetie Belle answered. "Nah. I think we'll go. We'll get dinner at my house later. Thanks anyway." As they walked towards the park, they began to talk. "Seriously, Sweetie Belle." "What?" "Rarity would never get out of our hair. Dinner with her present would be a nightmare!" They both laughed. Button continued. "How about we go to my place. Mom's not home, and we have plenty of spaghetti left over. If that's alright with you, I mean." "Sure! Rarity isn't expecting me home for a while anyway." Button's house, a few minutes later. "Here you go. Spaghetti, mash family style." He set the plate in front of Sweetie Belle, placing another where he would sit. "You don't think we'll end up like that, do you?" Button paused "Like what?" "Like Spoiled and Filthy. One a complete tail hole, the other totally blind to it." He sat down. "I don't think so. He loved her, but I doubt that she ever loved him. She just wanted his money. I love you, and you love me, don't you?" "Of course!" "Then we'll never turn out like them. So long as we have our love, we can face anything." Sweetie reached across the table and kissed him. "You are so romantic." He answered by drawing her into an even deeper kiss... Author's Note Kind of short, but I feel like it ties up the loose ends I want, while leaving plenty to work with later. That is, if I can figure out how to work the sequel bar.
The nightButton sat on the edge of his bed, looking at his dresser. Lined up on top of it, cast into a pale light by the moon light streaming in through the window, were three of his most valued objects. First was the photo of him and his father in manehattan. That was a fun vacation. He smiled, his first genuine smile in several days. He remembered their snowball fight in central park. Watching a play in one of the famous theaters. Even the carriage ride. They had such a great time. Much better than he had had in some time. Next to that was his first gamecolt. He got it on hearthswarming when he was 8. He took excellent care of it, and even though it was way out of date, he never sold it or gave it away. It was special to him. He was once almost never seen without it, but after his dad died, it had too many memories attached to it. The last object was the most painful: a triangular case with an equestrian flag folded within. His father was a proud former member of the royal guard. He had even saved princess Celestia's life during an assassination attempt. She had even appeared at the funeral. He was proud of his dad's service, but he hated the constant reminder of his father's death. Things had gotten pretty rough. His mom was working hard to support them both, running herself ragged in at least two jobs at any given time. But she was managing it. It helped that he hadn't bought any new games in a while. His grades weren't doing very well. He tried, and some days he did well, but he could never put his full effort into it anymore. In fact, that is how everything seemed recently. He was hurting inside more and more by the day, and nothing but memories seemed to pull any real emotions other than sadness out of him. His mother, bless her soul, had fixated on his grades, and was thus so worried about his future that she was completely ignoring the issues he currently having. Of course, she was working so hard, he was surprised she noticed much at all. His eyes moved to a more unsuspecting yet much more ominous object: a bottle of rounded tablets. They were simple over-the-counter pain killers, but he knew that if he downed the whole bottle it would kill him. And that was the plan. He was tired of feeling sad all of the time, and he had really given up on things ever getting better. So, he was going to kill himself. He would come home from school tomorrow, pull out the suicide note he had written, leave it somewhere his mom would easily find it, and then he would take all of the pills in the bottle and lay down on his bed. That would be it. No more pain, no more grief, just sleep. The note was largely goodbyes to friends and family. The largest section was devoted to the one thing that he had hoped for. Sweetie Belle. But now that she was seemingly in a good relationship with pip, and seemed very happy, that last hope was gone. He couldn't bare to break them up if she was happy. He apologized for fawning over her so much and wished her well in her relationship and in general. Next was his mom. He asked her not to grieve too much over him, and to go on with her life. He told her that she was a wonderful mother, and this wasn't her fault. She had done her best. To the rest of his friends and family, he thanked them for trying to help him feel better. He thanked them for all of the gifts, all of the time, and all of the love that they had given him. But it just wasn't enough. There were just somethings, some wounds, that were beyond the power of friendship, or even family, to heal. He laid down, planning out the next day. He was going to school, it was monday after all, then he would come straight home. No distractions. His mind was made up: he was going to do this. Nothing could convince him otherwise. Meanwhile, in Canterlot... "So you see, sister, he could really use a dream intervention." "Yes, and so can a large number of ponies across equestria," huffed Princess Luna, and she added "and I could really use a night off, sister." It wasn't that Luna minded helping her sister, but she had a tendency of asking favors at the worst times. "Listen, I know about your dream date with starlight." "Wait, what! How do you know?" Luna blushed. Celestia let out a loud laugh. "Part lucky guess. I try to keep tabs on all the ex-villains in my kingdom, and Twilight is more observative than she sometimes seems. I've known about you two dating for several weeks. Anyways, it was about the only reason I could think of for you to want a night off." "Why is this colt so important to you." Luna baited, trying to change the subject. Celestia took the bait. "His dad saved my life once. I feel like I owe him something. Anyway, isn't this kind of thing your job." "Yes, but my powers do have a limit. You know very well I can't get to everypony on the edge. And even if I could, I couldn't save all of them. I can provide comfort and care, but in the end it's up to them to save themselves." Celestia put on her pleading face "Sister, please. How often do I ask you to do something like this?" "Whenever I have something I would rather be doing." Celestia continued to look at her pleadingly. It was cute. "Oh, alright! I'll see what I can do." she said, and added in a more grim tone: "But remember, in the end it's up to him to save himself. I may do everything in my power, and it might still accomplish nothing if it's too late." Celestia sighed. "I know, I just want so desperately to help him, but I can't directly intervene. Please do your best, sister." "I will, Sister. I will..."
The meetingButton was never a lucid dreamer, so he knew rather quickly that something was definitely up. He was sitting on the edge of a lake. It took him a second to realize exactly where it was, because the last time he saw it it was frozen over, complete with ponies skating on it. "Central park lake?" He exclaimed, his voice cutting through a silence he hadn't noticed. "Yes, little one." Button turned around, surprised at hearing a complete stranger's voice in his dream. When he saw who it was, he immediately bowed. "Princess Luna!" "Yes, little one. No need to bow: in the realm of dreams, we are all equals." "In that case," he responded, "please stop calling me 'little one'." "Shall I call you Mr Mash?" Button winced. "Button would be fine, please." Luna nodded. "Button, then." She added in her head: "He's still sensitive about his dad. That will prove useful." "Why are you here." Button asked. Luna, not paying attention, misheard. "I know not. I cast the connection spell, but it was your mind that created this place. It's really you who should answer that question." "No, I meant why are you here?" "Oh." She deepened her voice. "Button Mash, your life stands at an impass. Two roads lie before you. One leads to tragedy for more than just you." "And the other?" "The other leads onward. To where, I can not see. I only see what may happen, and only on certain paths." Luna then smiled warmly. "Feel free to confide in me or do anything you wish while we're together. I have sworn myself to secrecy on the matters of dreams. Whatever happens here is confidential." Button got a wicked smile: "So if I kissed you, you wouldn't tell?" Luna laughed. "Well, I would probably slap you, especially since I have a mare friend, but no, I would not tell a soul." Button continued to smile, but she read into it quite easily. She made a mental note that he was hiding his grief behind a false smile. She always found those types the hardest to save. His smile disappeared. "So I take it you're here because I'm suicidal." That was blunt. "Yes. It's my job to guide those who are lost. Such as I did with your friend Sweetie Belle. Although her situation was much different, she was lost, much as you are." It was a vague and desperate shot in the dark, but it found its mark. She noticed a slight but genuine blush at the mention of Sweetie Belle's name. "So he likes her. I think I now know the last point I need tonight." She thought to herself. Once she had made note of the crack in his emotional defenses, she moved on. "You are more important to more ponies than you know. You need to see some of the possibilities that may result from your actions before you decide on a course. That is my job." He sighed, and sat down. Luna began to worry that she was losing him. It was a fairly common problem with teenagers during these interventions: they would often slip into the mindset that this was just another adult trying to lecture them without any real knowledge of what the problem was. Their emotional shields would go up, and they would tune her out. So she played a careful risk. She sat beside him and put one of her wings around him. When he didn't resist this, she turned his head with her wing and looked him in the eyes. Then she began to talk: "Listen, I know that I sound like just another lecturing adult. But you are making a huge choice, and you need to be absolutely certain it is the right one. And I can assure you, there is a lot more to what you will experience this night than mere words. I can, and I will, show you glances of what may come to pass if you decide to continue on the path you have laid out for yourself." She stood, as did he. "But I can not choose your path for you, only try to inform your decision. It is up to you on what to do once I leave. If, after this night, you decide to continue along your current path, I cannot stop you. But I will warn you about this much: it will lead to much grief for many you care about. That is what I am here to show you." He looked her in the eyes again. "So where do we start?" Luna lit her horn, and a door appeared. Button gasped, for it was just like the front door of his house. "Where better to start than at home?" Luna cringed inwardly at the cheesey line, but Button took no notice. She opened the door slowly. Button wondered what he would see behind the door. Anticipation mounted as he watched it open. Then, as the door opened just enough to see inside it, he gasped as he saw:... Nothing. It opened to reveal more of the endless night that seemed to surround them. "Why can't I see anything inside?" "Because you must go through the door to see what's on the other side." He approached the door, and, after just a moment of hesitation, he trotted in, the darkness seeming to suddenly envelope him. "How's it going, sister?" Luna spun around, and saw her sister's reflection in the lake. "Sister, I've told you before, don't interfere in my work." "I know, but this case is special to me. So how is it going?" Luna sighed, realising it was a waste of time to try to convince her sister to leave her alone. "Well, he reminds me of me during my time under nightmare moon's control. He's a lot younger, but with the same lack of any real hope." "Wait. Luna, sister, you were suicidal?" "He's going to be a tough case. Indeed, I can already tell that he is fully ready to kill himself, and it seems that he is set quite firmly to it." "Sister! Don't ignore me!" Luna plunged her hoof in the water, breaking up the image. "I hope my plan works, for his sake, as well as that of so many others." She turned and, with a final backward glance at the lake, she walked through the open door... Author's Note Sorry for how info dense this chapter is, but I needed to intro a new plot point. A thanks to all my readers. You're a great audience.
The visions part 1: coming homeDisoriented by the sudden transition, Button took a second to realize where he was. It seemed odd, until he realized it was his living room. But not quite. It was almost as if every was... Fuzzy. Like he was seeing it through a thin mist. "Luna, why is everything fuzzy?" No answer. "Luna?" He looked around. He couldn't see Luna anywhere. "Great. Now what's gone wrong." Luna appeared, as if she had walked through an invisible door. He noticed that she was clear looking, unlike her surroundings. "Sorry about that. My dear sister insisted on speaking to me immediately." Deciding not to push the subject, Button re asked his question "Why is everything fuzzy around the edges?" "This is a glimpse of how things might turn out. Since it is just a vision, it's not perfectly in focus." "Umm..." "If you want a more thorough explanation, try asking princess Twilight. I'm sure she'll give you a complete lecture on clairvoyance, though I'd advise you to set aside a few hours before you do." "Oh." Button quickly decided that he was satisfied with Luna's explanation. "So, when is this?" "Tomorrow. In this time line, you have followed through with your plan. You killed yourself several hours ago." At that moment, Button heard the front door open. "Button! I'm home!" His heart skipped a beat. So this was what Luna was going to show him "Button?" She came into view. She looked tired, as she always did after work. She sighed and put her saddlebag down. "Button, come down here! I'm going to need your help making dinner!" She waited a few moments, and when he didn't respond, she walked towards his room. They followed her. "Come out here, Button." She was growing worried, and her voice showed it. She opened his door and smiled, thinking he was asleep. "Okay, nap time's over. Get up." She walked up to his bed and nudged him with her hoof. He didn't move. She nudged him harder. Still nothing. Button's mom started crying "No... NO! Not my little foal. Why?" She fell to the floor, crying hysterically. Luna spoke up. "Let's move on a few minutes." The scene instantly blurred. Within a second Button found himself back in the living room, Luna by his side. He could see into the kitchen, where his mom and nurse Redheart were talking. "What happened?" asked his mom. "It's a little early to tell, but we think it was an overdose on painkillers." "But why!" His mother sounded like she was on the verge of tears. "Maybe this will shed some light on this situation." She handed Button's mom a note. She read it over, and began to cry again. "It's my fault!" "No, it's not your fault." "But it is! Maybe if I had payed more attention to him, or maybe if I had..." Nurse Redheart cut her off. "Don't start asking yourself the what ifs. You need to hang on here. You did your best. But sometimes that's just not enough." Button's mom was still sobbing. "I've been being strong for so long. It's been so hard for me to carry on like this. After my husband died, I had to start working again. I've had a hard time at my job. Mr Rich is a good boss, but his wife is so horrible...and...and I've had so little time with Button. I love him, but with all I've had to do, we almost never talk. And he's been so distant lately, it's like I don't know him anymore...or I didn't know him... Oh faust, what I wouldn't give for one last chance to tell him 'I love you.'" Nurse Redheart hugged her. "I know how you feel. My sister killed herself when I was in college. I always wish I could have a chance to say goodbye." Luna cleared her throat, catching Button's attention. "Time for another jump." The scene blurred once more. The living room now contained several individuals, all dressed in black and talking quietly. Button's mother, wearing a black veil, sat across the coffee table from nurse Redheart. The two were talking. "So, Mrs. Mash, how are you feeling?" "I wish I could say I feel better. It still hurts a lot. I wish I could have a chance to actually say goodbye." She began to cry. "That's it, Let it out. It's better than holding it in." "I'll never see him smile again, never see him bounce with joy at the sight of a new game." She smiled a weak smile. "I remember the first multi player system we got him. He and his dad would play on that thing for hours. He even slept on the couch one night when he fell asleep in here. And they both did everything together." Nurse Redheart laughed. "They sound a lot like my sister and my dad. I was always closer to mom, but she was always closer to dad. They did almost everything together." Button's mom frowned, and put her head in her hooves, on the edge of tears. "Oh faust, why did I have to lose both of them, and so close together. I feel like don't have anypony else left. I've lost so much." "No, you have plenty of ponies that care about you. Just look around. Everypony in this room cares very much about you." "I know. I just feel so hopeless." The scene froze. Luna turned to Button. "What do you think now?" Button had tears in his eyes, but he answered "She's hurt, but she'll recover. She's already got a good friend with whom she can sympathize. She'll get better after a while." Luna sighed. He was fighting it. She remembered when she was suicidal. She was so sure it was her only option, she shut out all reasoning that tried to dissuade her. She would have to work harder if she was going to save him. She cast a spell, creating a door resembling the front door of sugar cube corner. "Are you ready for the next vision?" Button nodded. "Then let's go." Author's Note A special thanks to Duckgame4life. Thanks for inspiring me to continue writing this. Your great inspiration.
The visions part 2: friendsWhile the second transition was a little less confusing, it was still very weird. Button took a second to figure out where he was. "Sugar cube corner?" "Yes. Your friends meet here almost every day, do they not?" "Yes." "Then let us watch." The bell on the door rang, and Button turned to see three fillies enter. On the left was Apple bloom, on the right, Scootaloo, and in between them was Sweetie belle. Button's heart nearly broke at the sight of her. She looked like a mess. Her mane was tangled and disorderly, and the dark circles under her eyes suggested that she hadn't slept in some time. Her eyes were also puffy, suggesting she had been crying. Apple bloom spoke up. "It's real nice of you to join us today, Sweetie belle. We've seen so little of you since the...the funeral." They sat at a table. Pinkie trotted out of the kitchen, a tray of fresh muffins in hoof. As she moved towards the display case next to the counter, she shouted "Hello! I'll be there in a second!" Once she was finished with the muffins, she went to the table. "What can I get you, and don't worry about the price: I'll pick up the tab!" Apple bloom ordered a slice of apple pie and iced tea. Scootaloo ordered some blueberry cobbler and a soda. "And what about you, Sweetie belle? The usual: A slice of cheesecake and a Vanilla shake?" Sweetie belle cringed at the mention of the shake. "No, thank you. Just a water will be nice." Pinkie looked her over for a second, and then decided to fill the orders. She zipped off to the kitchen. It was a few moments after that the door opened, and in walked two mares. Button immediately recognized one as Spoiled Rich, the wife of his mom's boss. The two were talking to each other. "So, hows the Secretary holding up." said the unknown mare. "Oh, that mare, she's such a drama queen. So your son decided to rid this world of another retarded peasant. So what." Sweetie Belle's ears perked up, and she got a very angry expression. "And she wanted a few days off after he killed himself. If she wanted to just pick and choose when she would work, she should have been a whore. It's what she deserves." Seeing Sweetie Belle getting more and more angry, Scootaloo put her hoof across Sweetie's chest and whispered "She's not worth it." The two mares walked up to the counter. "The bitch is after my husband and his money, I can tell. The way she looks at him says it all. As if he would fall for a common slut off the streets, when he has me! In fact, I would be willing to bet that spawn of her's wasn't even her husband's." By now, Sweetie Belle was seething with rage, and was being held back by both of her friends. "I mean, she has slutty milf written all over her. I bet the foal killed himself because he found out he was a bastard." Sweetie Belle broke free of her friend's attempts to restrain her, and tackled the foul mouthed mare. "Don't you DARE insult Button mash or his mom ever again!" She struck the mare across the nose, which began to bleed. "You are nothing more than a bitchy, rude, and heartless mare! He was a thousand times more deserving of his life than you!" She got off of the mare, who got up and ran for the door. Sweetie turned to the other mare and said: "Get your flank out of here!" The mare slowly backed out, a scared look in her eyes. When she was gone, Sweetie Belle realized Pinkie was standing behind her. "Uh... Your not going to kick me out, are you?" "Normally I would, buuuut," She hugged Sweetie Belle "I can hardly blame you for doing what you did. Go, sit with your friends." Sweetie sat down, once again between her friends, both of whom were still in shock. Scootaloo spoke first. "That...was awesome! She was terrified of..." She trailed off, noticing that Sweetie Belle was on the verge of tears. "What's the matter." "I just,... I loved him okay." she began to cry. "I.... I know I was dating Pip, but I just got tired of waiting for him to notice me. It... Me and Pip weren't serious, but I feel... I feel like I'm to blame for him..." She became too hysterical to speak. Instead, she got up and galloped off. "Ah hope she'll be okay." Said Apple bloom. Scootaloo looked her in the eyes. "I hope so too." Luna stopped the scene. "I have one more thing to show you before we move on. The scene blurred as they jumped forward several hours. The shop was empty, except for Rarity and Pinkie pie sitting at a table together and talking. "And then she ran out, crying up a storm." "So, is my sister in any trouble?" "No, at least not with me or the Cakes. But I'm worried about her." "So am I. She almost never leaves the boutique, and she barely talks to me at all. She's changed since Button killed himself." "You know she loved him. A lot." "I know, and that's part of the problem. I have no clue about how to comfort her, and neither do our parents. We're lost. We don't know what to do about her." "You comfort her as well as you can. That's all you can do." The grandfather clock upstairs rang out 10:00. It seemed oddly ominous to Button. Rarity got up. "I had better head home. Thanks for the advice." "Your welcome!" The scene froze. Luna looked at Button. "So what do you think now? "I... I don't know. Sweetie Bell's going to be okay, right?" "I'm afraid not, Button. That is the subject of the last vision." She cast a spell, and when he saw the door that appeared, Button's heart began to pound. It was the door to the boutique. "One last vision, Button. One vision left." Author's Note One last part in The Visions. I think you all know where I'm going to go with the next chapter.
The visions part 3: a broken heartButton walked through the door with a mixture of nervousness and fear. Half of him desperately hoped that something would intervene, or that somehow his worst fears would prove untrue. The other half knew exactly what he was about to witness, and was futilely trying to brace him for it. He didn't wait for Luna once he was in the third vision. He raced up the stairs, straight for Sweetie Belle's room. He stoped in front of her door, and slowly opened it. What he saw shocked him: A series of scarves, tied into a noose, were hanging from a beam overhead. Sweetie Belle sat on her bed, writing a note with her magic. He trotted up to her. "Sweetie Belle, don't do this. Please. I love you, with all my heart. You're more precious to me than anything else. Please, don't." She didn't seem to notice him. "No! Please don't!" "You can't interfere, you know." He spun around to see Luna standing in the doorway. "She can't see, hear, or feel you. You might as well be a ghost." The clock struck 10. Sweetie Belle put the note down and used her magic to push a chair up under the noose. Button began to panic, unwilling to watch but unable to take his eyes off of the filly he loved. He spoke angrily to Luna without turning to face her again. "Can't you do something!" "I am just as powerless as you." He watched, helpless, as Sweetie Belle climbed on top of the back of the chair. Button saw a bright flash, and the chair fell over. The next few moments became an agonizing eternity. Button watched the flurry of motions helplessly. Her body fell. The scarves pulled taunt. He heard a sickening crunch. He watched her body become still. The eternity ended. He thought he heard Luna speaking to him, but her voice seemed to come from far away. He was crying, but he didn't notice. He got up and trotted towards the bed, intent upon reading her note. It read: Dear Rarity and my friends. I can't go on. I loved Button mash with all of my heart. I've tried, but I know that I'll never heal from losing him. I only wish I had told him that. Then maybe he wouldn't have killed himself. It's my fault. I've lost him. And now I've gone to find him. Goodbye. Button stared at the note. The whole world was spinning, the ground threatening to give way under him And he partly wanted it to. He almost wanted the earth to swallow him up, take him away from here. Because it was his fault. Undeniably. He had killed her. He was why she was hanging from the ceiling. His heart sank. He laid down and began to cry. Luna sat beside him, puting a wing over him. She shed a few tears herself, feeling so sorry for the colt. She knew from experience what it was like to lose the one you love. "There there, Button. This is a vision of the future, not the present. "Luna, is this what is destined?" "Not necessarily. It comes down to you in the end. Remember, this is your choice." "But I feel so hopeless." "Hope only dies when we let it. My sister said that once, after my first love died. I loved him truly." "What... What happened to him?" "Oh we met when he was one of the royal guards. We fell in love quickly. We lived together for years. Got married. Even considered having kids. But one day, the gryphons attacked. Twas a long and bard battle." She sighed. "We won, but he was killed in the fight. A lot of ponies think that it was jealousy that caused me to turn into nightmare moon, and that was probably the root cause. But it was loosing him that drove me over the edge. In fact, the armor I wore as nightmare moon was actually the armor I wore in that battle. I... Was suicidal then. Not just because I saw myself turning into a monster beyond my control, but because I lost hope." He looked up at her, and saw the tears in her eyes. "I started doing this, doing these interventions to guide lost ponies, so that none of them should end up making the same mistake." "Did you ever get over loosing him?" "No, not entirety. I've fallen in love again, and that helped. Loving helps with loss." "You mean Starlight?" "By Starswirl's beard! Does all of equestria know of our relationship!" Button smiled. "Twilight's a good princess, but she can't keep a secret to save her life" Button hugged her. "Thank you. I think I know what I'm going to do." "Very well. But first, a gift." Luna cast a spell. A silver bracelet with a crescent moon appeared. Luna gave it to Button. "This will stay with you when you wake up. If you ever need to contact me, wear this. It will let me know that you wish to see me. I will come, if I can." "Why are you doing this?" "You're the first pony I've done this with. I've had plenty of ponies confess their feelings to me, but never have I confessed mine to them. You're a good colt, and I want, well, I want to be your friend." The two hugged again. "Goodbye, Button. I hope to see you again soon. Do write." "I will." Ponyville, 5:45 a.m. Button sat straight up, wide awake. He looked at his alarm clock and groaned. He had woken up just past the point at which it was pointless to try to go back to sleep. He stretched, and as he did something on one of his hooves caught his eye. It was the bracelet! He stared at it for several minutes, remembering the dream. He took it off and examined it. "If this is real, than that dream was more than just a dream!" he exclaimed aloud. He set the bracelet on his dresser. His course was clear now. He grabbed the bottle of pills and took them into the bathroom, where he set them back in the cabinet where they belonged. He smiled. Today would mark a new begining for him. He would make today better than yesterday. Author's Note Almost done! I'll write one more chapter to this, and then I'll be done. (With this story, but not this universe expect a sequel...eventually.)
The datePonyville, one week later Button trotted down the street, heading towards Sugarcube Corner. He and Sweetie Belle were meeting there today. It was their first real date. Pip had been surprisingly understanding, saying he understood Sweetie Belle's point of view. (With a glance towards Diamond tiara.) He had decided to ask her out the day after he had made his choice. He had told her about the dream, but she was the only one who knew the full story. He told his mom that the bracelet was a gift from princess Celestia. She seemed to believe it. He hadn't told her the full story, and he had decided already that he probably wouldn't. He entered the sweets shop. Sweetie Belle was sitting at a table in the corner, and he went to join her. "So, how was your day?" Began Button. "Good, though I had to sneak out of the house. Rarity would have been fussing over me for hours otherwise!" They both laughed. Pinkie walked in. "So, love birds! What do you want!" They both blushed. She smiled. "How about a slice of cheesecake for Sweetie Belle, a slice of key lime for Button, and a large vanilla shake to share." "Sounds good." "It'll be a moment though. I have a client in the back. Filthy Rich is trying to get a cake for his wife's birthday." She shuddered. "You know how picky she can get!"She trotted off to the kitchen. The door opened, and in walked Spoiled Rich, talking on a cellphone. "Yah, I can't believe it either. If she wanted to choose when she worked, she should have been a whore. It's what she deserves." Sweetie looked at Button. "You don't think?" "I don't know. Let's watch." Oblivious to the fact that she was being watched, she continued her conversation. "I know that slut's after Filthy and his money. Well she can have him for all I care. Our prenups say that if we divorce because he cheats, I get every cent he has. After that, she can have him." Button and Sweetie Belle gasped. Spoiled didn't seem to hear. "Hay, no! I never really loved him. I just wanted his money. And so long as he keeps thinking I do love him, I can have it. He's such a doormat. What ever I want, I get. He's so spineless, I'd bet that if he knew all this, he'd still follow me like a lost puppy. He's such a push over." she put the phone on the counter. "Hello! Any pony there!" she picked the phone up and headed for the door. "This place has such lousy service. I don't know what Filthy sees in it!" She left. Not long after, Pinkie emerged, leading a distraught Filthy Rich. "There there. I know it hurts." She lead him to a table "You deserve better than her. The whole town knows that!" "I... I've figured it for a while. But I loved her when we first met. She was charming and seemed so kind. I fell for ber then, and I guess that love blinded me to what she's become. She's just not the mare I married. I guess it was just...an act. Once she had me, she let her true colors show." Pinkie looked over at them. "Sorry, this could be awhile. Want me to get you anything?" Sweetie Belle answered. "Nah. I think we'll go. We'll get dinner at my house later. Thanks anyway." As they walked towards the park, they began to talk. "Seriously, Sweetie Belle." "What?" "Rarity would never get out of our hair. Dinner with her present would be a nightmare!" They both laughed. Button continued. "How about we go to my place. Mom's not home, and we have plenty of spaghetti left over. If that's alright with you, I mean." "Sure! Rarity isn't expecting me home for a while anyway." Button's house, a few minutes later. "Here you go. Spaghetti, mash family style." He set the plate in front of Sweetie Belle, placing another where he would sit. "You don't think we'll end up like that, do you?" Button paused "Like what?" "Like Spoiled and Filthy. One a complete tail hole, the other totally blind to it." He sat down. "I don't think so. He loved her, but I doubt that she ever loved him. She just wanted his money. I love you, and you love me, don't you?" "Of course!" "Then we'll never turn out like them. So long as we have our love, we can face anything." Sweetie reached across the table and kissed him. "You are so romantic." He answered by drawing her into an even deeper kiss... Author's Note Kind of short, but I feel like it ties up the loose ends I want, while leaving plenty to work with later. That is, if I can figure out how to work the sequel bar.
