It was still raining when the Sweetie Bell and the others got back to her house with the mysterious colt they found in the woods. He was silent the entire time and still had a scared look on his face. The 3 fillies gathered around him, not knowing what to do. "Is there a number we can call for your parents?" Sweetie Bell asked first. "Where's your hair, do you have cancer?" Dinky asked. "Did you run away?" Scootaloo asked. All the questions made the colt feel even more uneasy. "Are you in some kind of trouble?" Sweetie asked, "Is that blood?" Scootaloo asked as she reached out her hoof, only to have it slapped away by Sweetie Bell, "Stop it, you're freaking him out." Sweetie said, "He's freaking me out!" Scootaloo argued. "I bet he's deaf." Dinky said before clapping her hooves together, which the colt reacted to, "Not Deaf." Dinky concluded. "all right, that's enough, all right? He's just scared and cold." Sweetie said before gabbing the colt some dry clothes. She placed them in front of him and he stood and started to take off his wet clothes, which caused the fillies to turn away surprised, Sweetie Bell then pointed out the bathroom to the colt. "See over there? That's the bathroom, you can change in there." Sweetie Bell said. "Privacy, get it?" the colt just stared in response. Sweetie walked over to the bathroom with the colt and was about to close the door, but the colt quickly stopped Sweetie from closing the door. "You don't want it closed?" Sweetie asked. "No." the colt muttered, the first word Sweetie heard out of his mouth. "Oh, so you can speak, okay, well how about we keep the door like this?" Sweetie asked leaving a crack in the door. "Is that better?" Sweetie asked. "Yes." The colt muttered again. Sweetie then turned to rejoin the others and give her some privacy.
"This is Mental." Dinky stated, "At least he can talk." Sweetie said, "He said no and yes, your three-year-old sister says more." Scootaloo added. "He tried to get naked." Dinky said, reenacting the colts movements from just a minute earlier. "There's something seriously wrong with him, like wrong in the head." Scootaloo said. "I bet he escaped from Pennhurst." "From where?" Sweetie asked, "The nuthouse in Canterlot." Scootaloo answered. "You got a lot of family there." Dinky jokingly stated, "Bite me." Scootaloo responded. "Seriously though, think about it, that would explain his shaved head, and why he's so crazy." Scootaloo finished. "He's an escapee, he's probably a psycho." "Like Michael Myers." Dinky added, "Exactly, we should've never brought him here." Scootaloo shouted. "So you just wanted to leave him out in that storm?" Sweetie asked. "Yes, we went out to find Applebloom, not another problem." Scootaloo said, "I think we should tell your Mom." Dinky told Sweetie Bell, "I second that." Scootaloo added. "Who's crazy now!" Sweetie Bell blurted out, "How is that crazy?" Scootaloo argued back. "Cause, we weren't supposed to be out tonight, remember?" Swetie said, "So?" Scootaloo asked, "So, if I tell my mom, and she tells your mom,and your mom.." Sweetie said pointing to the both of them, "Oh man." Dinky said, "Our houses become Alcatraz." Scootaloo finally realized. "Exactly, we'll never find Applebloom." Sweetie said before coming up with a plan, "All right, here's the plan, he sleeps here tonight." The plan made Dinky's jaw drop,"You're letting a colt-" she was cut off by Sweetie Bell, "Just listen, in the morning, he sneaks around my house and rings my doorbell, My mom will answer and know exactly what to do, she'll send her back to Pennhurst or wherever she came from and we'll be in the clear, and tomorrow night, we go back out and we find Applebloom."
Dinky and Scootaloo looked back at Sweetie and the colt as they went up the stairs. "You really think he's a psycho?" Dinky asked, "I wouldn't want him in my house." Scootaloo answered before continuing up the stairs. Sweetie had built a fort using chairs, blankets and pillows for the colt to sleep in, as she was giving him her sleeping bag she spoke up. "Hey, I never asked your name." Sweetie said, the colt responded by showing Sweetie the symbol of the controller on his front leg. "Is that real?" Sweetie asked, reaching out to it, but the colt pulled it away. "Sorry, I've just never seen a kid with a tattoo before." Sweetie said, "What does it mean?" She asked, the colt then raised his hoof and patted his chest, "Button Mash." He said. "Button Mash, okay, well my Name is Sweetie, short for Sweetie Bell, how about we call you Button?" Sweetie asked, Button nodded in response. "Um, okay, goodnight Button." Sweetie Bell said as she stood up to cover the fort in a blanket. "Goodnight Sweetie." Button said from the fort, hearing this, Sweetie paused a moment and blushed.
After Sweetie left and went back upstairs, Button laid down and cried, he kept seeing the flashes of the stallion from the diner, the kindness he showed him, and the image of his dead body, eventually he found a way to get to sleep.
...
The next morning, things were rough at the Apple's house. "Alright Mom, breakfast is ready." Big Mac said as he placed the plate in front of his mother, "Be careful, the poster!" Buttercup quickly shifted the posters on the table in front of her. "Listen, the xerox place opens in like, 30 minutes, and I don't want you to go alone, so I'm gonna have Shiny take you cause I should be here, and we need to make, what 200, 300 copies? How much is a copy? Ten cents?" "Mom!" Big Mac finally got her attention from her rambling, Buttercup was emotionally distraught and she barley slept a wink the night before. "You can't get like this, okay?" Big Mac said, trying to calm his mother down. "I'm sorry." Buttercup said. Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Buttercup took one more puff of her cigarette before rushing to the door. It was Shining Armor.
"I've been waiting six hours." she told Shining Armor as he stepped inside. "Yeah I know, I came as soon as I could." Shining Armor replied. "Six Hours?" Buttercup repeated. "Little bit of trust here, alright?" Shining said to Buttercup. "We've been searching all night, all the way to Cartersville." He told her, "And?" Buttercup asked, "Nothing." he responded. "No." Buttercup said, holding a hoof over her mouth. "Twilight said you got a phone call?" Shining asked, "Oh, yeah." Buttercup remembered, showing Shining the burnt phone in the kitchen. "Storm barbecued this pretty good." Shining said as he observed the broken receiver. "The storm?" Buttercup blurted in a confused voice. "What else?" Shining asked, "You don't think that's...weird?" Buttercup asked. "No, it's weird." Shining said as he placed the phone back. "Can we trace who made the call?" Big Mac asked, "No, it doesn't work like that." Shining Armor responded. "Now, you sure it was Applebloom, because Twily said you just heard some breathing." Shining asked. "No, it was her, it was Applebloom." Buttercup answered. "And, she was scared, and then something.." Buttercup said, her voice beginning to break, until she was interrupted by Shining. "It was probably just a prank call. It was somebody trying to scare you." Shining concluded. "No shining, it was her." Buttercup protested, "Buttercup." Shining started, "Come on, how about a little trust here?" Butterup said. "What you think I'm making this up?" Buttercup asked, "I'm saying that your making it up, all i'm saying is that it's an emotional time for you." Shining answered. "And you don't think I know my own daughter's breathing?!" Buttercup was shouting now, "Don't you think you would know your daughter's?" Buttercup finished, Shining froze at the mention of his daughter. Shining turned around for moment and rubbed a hoof on his forehead. Eventually he spoke again, "You hear from Bright Mac yet?" Shining asked, "No" Buttercup replied. "It's been long enough, I'm having him checked out." Shining says as he moved to leave. "Oh come one, your wasting your time!" Buttercup called out after him.
Before shining got into his car Big Mac came out of the house after him. "Hey Shining, Let me go, to Bright's." Big Mac said, Shining turned to face him, "i'm sorry." he said to the red stallion. "You know, if Applebloom's there, it means she ran away, and if she sees the cops she's going to think she's in trouble, she'll hide, you know she's good at hiding." Big Mac Pleaded. "yeah, well cops are good at finding, okay?" shining sternly told Big Mac, "Stay here with your mom, she needs you." Shining told Big Mac before getting in his car and driving away.
...
As soon as the waffles popped up from the toaster, Sweetie smuggled them into the pockets of her jacket for Button. And at the breakfast table, she scarfed down her own waffles quickly. "Slow down Sweetie, that's disgusting." Rarity said to Sweetie as she chomped on her food. Sweetie then remembered seeing Thunderlane last night and decided to use it against her. "Do a lot of studying last night?" Sweetie asked in a sarcastic voice. Rarity glared at her sister, "Yeah, actually I did." Rarity answered. "What was your test on again? Pony Anatomy?" Sweetie asked in her sarcastic tone, this time Rarity kicked her leg under the table, Sweetie kicked Rarity's leg back. "Hey, what's going on?" Their mother questioned. Both of them looked up, "Nothing." they said simultaneously.
Sweetie Bell then excused herself from the table and went down stairs to give Button his breakfast, when she lifted up the blanket, he saw him messing with her radio. "Hey, you found my supercomm! pretty cool huh?" She said, "I talk to my friends with it, mainly Scootaloo because she lives so close." Sweetie explained. She then pulled the waffles out of her pocket and gave them to Button, "Got you breakfast." she said as he took the waffle and started eating it. "So listen, this is gonna sound a little weird, but I just need you to go out there.." Sweetie pointed to the basement door, "Then go to the front door and ring the doorbell, my mom will answer and you'll tell her that you're lost and that you need help, but whatever you do, you can't tell her about last night or that you know me. Understand?" Sweetie Bell briefed to Button, only giving a glare back in response. "Really, it's no big deal, we'll just pretend to meet each other again, and my mom, she'll know who to call." Sweetie said to Button. "No." Button said in a serious tone, rejecting the plan, remembering what the nice stallion did, the action that got him killed. "No?" Sweetie asked, "No." Button repeated. "No, you don't want my mom to get help?" Sweetie questioned, Button simply shook his head in response. Sweetie then realized why, "You're in trouble, aren't you?" Sweetie asked, "Who are you in trouble with?" Sweetie asked again. "Bad." Button muttered. "Bad?" Sweetie repeated. "Bad Ponies?" Button nodded. "They want to hurt you?" Sweetie asked, Button responded by placing his hoof to the side of his head and jerking it, making the movement of a gun firing, he then pointed the hoof to Sweetie's head and did the same. "Understand?" Button asked. Suddenly, from upstairs a voice called, "Sweetie, where are you? We're going to be late." Sweetie's mother called. "All right, I'll be back." Sweetie told Button before draping the blanket back over the fort and heading up the stairs.
...
At the laboratory Dr. Turner and two of his associates, one of the Starlight Glimmer, were moving down one of the hallways. "When was this?" Turner asked, "Last night, less than 2 miles away." Starlight responded. "And the girl?" turner asked, "Still missing." the other associate said. They went into a room and listened to a recording of a phone call, Turner listened as the voices of the distressed mother and the secretary at the police station talked. "It was my daughter, I know it, and I heard something else." Buttercup spoke, "Something Else?" Twilight Sparkle asked back. "It was like, some kind of animal, I don't know, just please tell Shining to hurry." Buttercup said in a stammering, breaking voice. The listeners simply turned and nodded to each other.
...
Another search party was dispatched that day, and more ponies were out in the woods searching for Applebloom. "Hey, anything?" Shining asked his deputies. "You?" one of the deputies asked back. "No, nothing but a dead phone." Shining said, "Buttercup?" the deputy asked, "About one step from falling off the edge." Shining answered. "She's been a few steps for a while now, hasn't she?" the other deputy asked. "Kid's missing man." Shining replied, "Show a little class." Shining then went to continue leading the search party. "All right come on, let's go." Shining shouted to the search party.
...
Back at Ponyville High, Rarity and Fluttershy were heading to class, Fluttershy was also helping Rarity study for the test. "When alpha particles go through gold foil, they become..." Fluttershy asked, "Unoccupied space." Rarity answered, before Fluttershy could read another one, Thunderlane came out of nowhere and snatched them from fluttershy's hoof. He was soon joined by his friend Soarin and Soarin's girlfriend Rainbow Dash. "Hey." Fluttershy shouted. "I don't Know, I think you've studied enough Rarity." Thunderlane said looking at the cards. "Thunder.." Rarity began, "no, I'm telling you, you got this don't worry, now, on to more important matters." Thunderlane said as he ripped up the cards. "My dad has left town on a conference and my mom's gone with him, cause she doesn't trust him." "Good call." Soarin chimed in, "So are you in?" Thunder asked Rarity. "In for what?" Rarity asked. "No Parents, big house?" Rainbow asked sarcastically, "A Party?" Rarity guessed. "Ding, Ding, Ding." Rainbow said, making Soarin laugh. "It's Tuesday." Rarity stated. "It's Tuesday? Oh sweet Celestia." Soarin said in a mocking tone. "Come on, it'll be low key, it'll just be us, what do you say, are you in or out?" Thunder asked. Rarity was about to answer when Rainbow interrupted, "Oh, Celestia. Look." She pointed, everyone in the group turned to see Big Macintosh putting up his missing person posters for Applebloom on the announcements board. "Oh, that's depressing." Thunder said. "Should we say something?" Rarity asked. "I don't think he speaks." Rainbow said. "How much you want to bet he killed her?" asked Soarin, "oh Shut up." Thunder said jokingly punching Soarin in the arm. Rarity then decided to walk over and speak to him. "Hey." Rarity said as Big Mac put in the last tack holding up the poster. "Oh, Hey." Big Mac responded, he was surprised that of all the ponies that could've walked over, it was her. "I just, I wanted to say, you know, um, I'm sorry about everything." Rarity said sincerely, she looked back at her friends, they all gave fake smiles except for Fluttershy, who gave a real smile. "Everyone's thinking about you." Rarity said back to him. "it sucks." Rarity said, "yeah." Big Mac replied glumly. "I'm sure she's fine." Rarity assured him, "She's a smart kid." Suddenly the bell rang. "I have to go, chemistry test." Rarity said "Good Luck." she said before rejoining her friends to class. "Thanks." Big Mac said quietly to himself.
...
Over at Ponyville middle school, Dinky and Scootaloo got to class and sat in their seats, but they noticed that Sweetie Bell's seat was empty. "Oh this is weird." Dinky said, "She's never this late." "I'm telling you, her stupid plan failed." Scootaloo said. "I thought you liked her plan?" Dinky asked. "Yeah, but obviously it was stupid, or he'd be here." Scootaloo snapped. "If her mom found out a boy spent the night-" "-She's in deep shit right about now." Dinky began only for Scootaloo to finish. "Hey, what if he slept naked?" Dinky asked with a worried tone. Scootaloo groaned, "oh sweet celestia, he didn't." "Oh, if Mrs. Bell tells my mom.." Dinky began, "No way, Sweetie woiuld never rat us out like that." Scootaloo said in Sweetie's defense. "All that matters is, after school, the freak will be back in the loony bin, and we can focus on what really matters, finding Applebloom." Scootaloo said in an attempt to get Dinky to feel better.
...
Back at the Bell residence, Shiny Bell had just driven off in the family station wagon, but didn't see Sweetie Bell hiding with her bike in the bushes. As soon as the car was out of sight, Sweetie went back into the house. Sweetie decided to give Button the grand house tour. "You want anything to drink?" Sweetie asked, "We have OJ, Skim milk, what else?" she questioned as she looked through the kitchen with Button. She looked and saw him distracted by the living room, especially the TV. "Oh, this is the living room, it's mostly just for watching TV." Sweetie explained. "Nice right? it's a 22-inch, that's like 10 times bigger than Dinky's." Sweetie said referring to the TV. Button once again was distracted, this time by the picture above the fireplace of Sweetie Bell and her family. "That's my family," Sweetie explained, "That's my sister Rarity, and that's baby Jewel, and those are my parents." Sweetie said pointing out each photo. "What are your parents like? Do they live close?" Sweetie asked, Button ignored the questions and paced around the large lounge chair. "That's our La-Z-Boy," Sweetie explained, "It's where my dad sleeps, you can try it if you want." Sweetie said. She then guided Button to sit down in the chair and Sweetie pulled the lever on the side of it, making it rock backwards and putting Button into a laying position. It startled him a bit but then began chuckling along with Sweetie.
...
Big Mac was driving along the interstate roads now, he was heading to Manehattan, he just needed to see his father to see if he knew anything about Appleblooms disappearance. As he drove along in his car, a familiar song came on, Should I Stay or Should I Go, by The Clash. It was a song that he had introduced Applebloom to, and she got into it, this triggered a memory from a while back...
flashback
The song played as Big Mac and Applebloom sat on the edge of Applebloom's bed, they bobbed their heads to the beat. "Do you like it?" Big Mac asked, "Yeah it's cool." Applebloom replied. "You can keep the mix if you want." Big Mac said, referring to a mix tape of songs that was playing the song. "Really?" Applebloom asked excitedly. "Yeah really." Big Mac answered. "All the best stuff's on there." Big Mac explained. "It'll totally change your life." Big Mac said. "Yeah totally." Applebloom said back. The two were then distracted by the sound of their mother yelling at their dad over the phone, so Big Mac closed the bedroom door. "He's not coming, is he?" Applebloom said in a sad voice, referring to her father. "Do you even like Buckball?" Big Mac asked. "No, but...I don't know, It's fun to with him sometimes." Applebloom answered. She and her father had played buckball together from time to time and she didn't like the sport, but she just wanted her father's respect. "Come on." Big Mac protested, "Has he ever done anything with you that you actually like?" He asked, "Like go to the movies, or the arcade?" "I don't know." Applebloom answered. "No, all right? He hasn't" Big Mac answered for her. "He's trying to force you to like normal things, and you shouldn't like things because someone says you're supposed to." Big Mac explained. "Okay? Especially not him." Big Mac said. "But, you like The Clash? For real?" Big Mac asked. "For real, definitely." Applebloom replied. Big Mac turned up the volume and the two jammed out to till the song ended.
When the song ended, Big Mac snapped back to reality in a way, Applebloom was still missing, and hew as going to find some answers, he looked and saw a mile marker for Manehattan.
...
Buttercup pulled into the parking space outside the store she worked at, she stepped out and walked in, she was greeted by her boss Flim. "Buttercup, I wasn't expecting you today, I brought in Bulk Biceps to cover." He explained as he followed Buttercup down an aisle. "I'm not here, to work, the storm, I, I need a new phone." She told Flim, stammering. Flim rung her up with a new phone at on of the registers. "Okay, that looks like $22.56." Flim explained. "Uh, yeah, uh I gave Big Mac all my money to make copies of the missing posters, I need an advance." Buttercup said with pleading eyes. "Of course," Flim said as he wrote the extension.
...
Back at Buttercup's house, a stallion dressed in an plumbers outfit knocked on her door, when there was no response he pulled out a handheld radio, "Were all clear." he said into it, "copy that." a voice said back. Then, from the plumber's van emerged several ponies wearing white hazmat suits, one of whom was Dr. Turner. They all began to scan the Apple's yard with mysterious devices, eventually the devices picked up something in the back shed, and Dr. Turner found a mysterious substance on the wall of the shed. "Extraordinary." He said.
...
Sweetie Bell was now showing Button around her room, showing him her toys and some of her clothes. Button then was distracted by the trophies on the dresser, Sweetie walked over, "These are all of my trophies, from things like the science fair, or talent shows." Sweetie explained. "We got first nearly every year, except this one time." Sweetie said pointing to a picture of her, Applebloom and Scootaloo in horrible outfits doing some sort of performance. Button then glanced at one of the science fair pictures, it had Sweetie, Scootaloo, Applebloom, and Dinky standing by their trophy, all smiling wide. Button then noticed Applebloom, he had seen her before, he recognized her, he slowly raised his hoof and pointed at Applebloom in the picture. "You know Applebloom?" Sweetie asked, "Did you see her? Last Night? On the Road? Sweetie continued asking. They then heard the sound of Sweetie's mother's car pulling into the driveway. "We gotta go." Sweetie said as she took Buttons hoof and led him back down the stairs, but they had to turn back as the door opened. Shiny Bell walked in and heard the scurrying up the stairs. "Liberty?" is that you?" She called out, "Just me Mom!" Sweetie yelled back as she dragged Button back to her bedroom. "Sweetie? What are you doing home?" She yelled, "One Second!" Sweetie yelled back. She and Button ran into her bedroom and she led him to her closet, "In here, I'll be right back okay?" Sweetie told Button as she motioned for him to get in the closet, Button hesitated. "Please, you have to get in, or my mom, she'll find you." Sweetie explained, "I won't tell her about you, I promise." "Promise?" Button questioned, "It means something that you cannot break, ever." Sweetie explained as they heard her mother call her name again. Button finally mustered the courage and stepped inside the closet, Sweetie closed the door behind him.
Button found himself in Sweetie's closet, he began to breath heavily and felt dizzy, he glanced around the closed space and began to panic. He then remembered what had happened back at the lab where he was kept.
flashback
"Papa!" Button yelled as he was dragged down a corridor by two stallions in white orderly uniforms, "Papa!" he shouted again, looking back to see, Dr. Turner standing, watching the stallions drag him away, they turned a corner and Button saw the room and began to struggle even more. "No, No, NO" he shouted, but to no avail. The stallions tossed him into the dark enclosed space and locked the door, Button Banged on it for the longest time, calling out for his Papa. Eventually he gave up and curled into a little ball in the corner and sobbed.
Downstairs, Sweetie Bell and her mother were in the living room, "I just, I don't feel good," Sweetie explained, "I woke up and my head hurt really bad, and my throat was all scratchy, and I wanted to tell you, but the last time I said I was sick you made me go to school anyway-" "Sweetie," her mother interrupted, "I'm not mad at you." she said. "No?" Sweetie asked, confused, "No, of course not, all this that's been going on with Applebloom, I can't imagine what it's been like for you, I just want you to feel like you can talk to me, I don't want you to feel like you have to hide things from me, I'm here for you Sweetie, Okay?" she explained carefully to her daughter. Sweetie nodded as a response, suddenly a thud came from the second floor. "Is there someone else here?" Shiny asked, "No." Sweetie responded.
Sweetie went back upstairs and opened her closet door, finding Button Mash in the fetal position, "Sweetie." Button said as he looked up at her, tears in his eyes, "Is everything okay?" Sweetie said in a concerned voice. Button nodded, "Are you sure?" Sweetie asked, "Promise." Button replied.
...
Buttercup slammed the phone box on the table and began to take it out. She was going to figure out what happened the previous phone, and she somehow knew that this phone could help. She set it up, pluuged it into the wall,pulled up a chair, and sat and waited for it to ring.
...
The search party was now at the large quarry to the east of Ponyville, Chief Shining Armor walked over to the edge where one of his Deputies were. "Whoa, whoa, careful, I need you alive for next few days, at least." Shining Armor said a they both peered down into the quarry below. "Oh, Tartarus, I could survive that." the deputy replied, this made Shining laugh. "What, Wind Rider made that jump!" the deputy argued, "Rider is a liar, you make the jump from this height, the water turns to cement, hits you like a ton of bricks. Break every damn bone in your body." Shining explained. Suddenly the Chief's radio sparked to life, "Chief, you copy?" Twilight's voice spoke through the radio. "Yeah Twily, talk to me." Shining answered. "We got a call from over at Carrot's, I think you need to get there right away." Twilight said in a bit of a sad voice.
Shining and his deputies pulled up outside of Carrot Cake's diner and went in, once inside they could smell something putrid, and they saw it. Carrot Cake's body was at a table, by his hoof was a revolver, and on the side of his head was a bullet hole, it looked like a suicide. "Ugh, Celestia." one of the Deputies said at the terrible sight. "Suicide?" the other deputy asked. Shining Armor simply replied with "Mmm-hmm" "Missing kid, suicide, you must feel like a big city cop again, huh chief?" the first deputy asked. "Well, I mostly dealt with strangers back then, Carrot was my friend." Shining said sadly.
...
In a small, low income suburb outside of Manehattan, Big Mac was driving down a street looking for a particular house, he spotted the one, parked his car, and got out and walked up to the front door. The house was small, even smaller than his house surprisingly enough. He looked through the window in the door, seeing a very messy living room. He knocked on the door, and a red haired Pegasus came and answered the door. "Can I help you?" she asked, "Yeah, is Bright Macintosh here?" Big Mac asked back, "Yeah, he's out back. What do you want?" She asked again, "To look around." Big Mac said, barging in and looking around the house. "What do you think your doing? Hey" Strawberry shouted after him. "Hey Applebloom." Big Mac called out. "Applebloom, you here? He said as he looked into certain rooms before being confronted by a large yellow stallion with red hair. "Get off." Big Mac said, pushing his father off. "Damn, you've gotten stronger." Bright Mac said, "Will someone please explain what in tartarus is going on?" Strawberry chimed in. "Big Macintosh, Strawberry Sunrise, Strawberry, this is Big Mac, my oldest." Bright Mac explained before hugging his son, only for Big Mac to push him off again.
...
After school, Dinky and Scootaloo rode their bikes directly to Sweetie's house. They went up the Sweetie's room and were both surprised. Button Mash was sitting on Sweetie's bed and just stared back at them. "Are you out of your mind?" Scootaloo was the first to say. "Just listen to me." Sweetie tried to explain. "You are out of your mind!" Scootaloo said again. "He knows about Applebloom." Sweetie said. "What do you mean he knows about Applebloom?" Dinky asked. Sweetie grabbed the science fair picture from her dresser and held it up. "He pointed at her, at this picture. He knew she was missing. I could tell." Sweetie explained, "You could tell?" Scootaloo skeptically asked, "Just think about it, do you really think that it was a coincidence that we found him at Mirkwood, the same place where Applebloom disappeared?" Sweetie asked. "That is weird." Dinky said to Scootaloo, "And he said that bad ponies are after her, I think these bad ponies are the same ones that took Applebloom, I think he knows what happened to her." Sweetie explained. "Then why doesn't he tell us?" Scootaloo asked, glancing over at Button. "Do you know where she is?" Scootaloo asked Button as she walked over to him, when Button didn't respond she got angry, "Do you know where she is?!" Scootaloo shouted and grabbed Button's shoulders. "Stop it, your scaring him!" Sweetie shouted. "He should be scared, if you know where she is, tell us!" Scootloo snapped back at Button. Button just stared back with wide eyes. "This is nuts, we have to take him to your mom." Scootaloo suggested. "No! Button Mash said telling any adult would put us in danger." Sweetie argued, "His name is Button Mash?" Scootaloo questioned, "Button for short." Sweetie replied. "Sweetie! What kind of danger?" Dinky shouted to get their attention. "Danger, Danger." Sweetie said, she the raised her hoof and made the same gun movements with her hoof that Button had done that morning, Scootaloo slapped her hoof away, "No, no no!" Scootaloo protested, We're going back to plan A, we're telling your mom!" Scootaloo said as she stormed over to the door, but as she opened it, it slammed shut, but there was no magic aura around it, so Sweetie or Dinky couldn't have done it, Scootaloo opened the door again, and it slammed shut again and locked itself. The 3 fillies looked back to see Button Mash standing up, his eyes narrowed, and a single trickle of blood coming from his nose. "No." Button said.
...
Back in Manehattan, Bright Mac was showing Big Mac is new car, a black and yellow muscle car. "Take a look at this beaut. Should've see it when I got it, took me a year, but it's almost done." Bright Mac said as Big Mac opened the trunk of the car. "Really? You want to check up my ass too?" Bright Mac questioned in an annoyed voice. "I told you the same thing as those cops, she's not here and she never has been." Bright Mac said, "Then why didn't you call mom back?" Big Mac asked. "I don't know, I just assumed she just forgot where she was, you know she was lost or something, that girl was never very good at taking care of herself." Bright Mac said, "This isn't some joke, all Right? There are search parties, reporters.." Big Mac started but was cut off by Bright, "Shining's not still chief is he?" Bright asked. Big Mac said nothing, which was all Bright needed to hear. "Tell your mother she's got to get you out of that hellhole, come out here to the city, people are more real here, you know? And I could see you more." Bright Mac said, Big Mac scoffing at the last statement, "What, you think I don't want to see you?" Bright asked, "I know you don't." Big Mac answered. "See that's your mother talking right there, does she even know your here?" Bright asked, once again Big Mac remained quiet, giving Bright an answer, "Oh, great, so one kid goes missing, the other runs wild?" Bright Mac said mockingly. "Some real fine parenting there, Look, all I'm saying is maybe I'm not the asshole, all right?" Bright said to his son. Big Mac took out a flyer from his saddlebag and gave it to Bright, "Here, in case you forgot what she looks like." Big Mac said as he stormed away. "He's kinda cute." Strawberry said as she walked over to Bright, "Maybe I'll trade you in for the younger model?" Strawberry said jokingly.
...
"It just doesn't make any sense chief." the stallion told Shining Armor as he lit his cigarette. Shining had brought in a patron who was at Carrot's diner the last day he was seen alive for questioning, the patron he brought in was simply called, "The Dude." "Did you notice anything odd about him the last few weeks?" Shining asked. "No, we're planning to go fishing down by Etowah next Sunday, and he was lookin' forward to it, I know that." the dude responded. "He got any enemies you might know about?" Shining asked. "Like, people who might not want him around?" "The exes didn't like him much, that's for sure, but, nah." the dude said, shaking his head at the thought. "When was the last time you saw him?" Shining asked. "Yesterday. Lunch, same as always." the dude replied. "Just you and the boys?" Shining asked. "Yep, Me and Henry and, well there was this kid, but, no kid did this." the dude said, shrugging off the colt he had seen the day before. "Kid? What are you talking about?" Shining asked, getting interested in a possible lead on Applebloom. "Yeah at lunch there was this kid, they were trying to steal food out of the kitchen, can you imagine that?" the dude asked. "This kid, what did they look like?" Shining asked. "I didn't get a good look at em, bu they were about, this high." the dude said, raising his hoof off the ground to around the average height of a filly. "Did they look like this?" one of the deputies asked, handing him a picture of Applebloom. "No, that's Bright's missing kid, this was a different kid, their hair was buzzed right down to the scalp." The dude replied. "If this kid had a buzz cut, could it be Bright's kid?" Shining asked, "I dunno, maybe?" the dude replied, still unsure.
...
Rarity was lying on her bed on the phone with Fluttershy. "Because I don't wanna go by myself." she said into the phone. "Flutters, Flutters, it's not rocket science, you just tell your parents you're gonna stay at my place afterwards." Rarity told Fluttershy the plan, trying to get her to go to Thunderlane's party later. "No, tell them we're...studying." Rarity said. "Rarity! Dinner!" Shiny Bell called from downstairs. "coming!" She yelled down to her mother, "look, I gotta go. I'll see you in an hour." Rarity said into the phone before hanging up.
The Bell family was once again gathered around the dinner table, this time joined by Dinky and Scootaloo. They all sat in silence, until Shiny noticed that the fillies were not barley touching the food. "Something wrong with the chicken?" Shiny asked. "Oh no, I had two bologna sandwiches for lunch." Dinky looked up and replied. "Me too." Scootaloo said as she looked over with a chuckle. "It's delicious, mother." Rarity said, "Thank you honey." Shiny responded. Sweetie Bell rolled her eyes at the obvious brown nosing her sister was doing as she reached for her milk glass. "So, there's this special assembly thing tonight for Applebloom at the school field, Fluttershy's driving." Rarity said to her mother carefully, trying to convince her to let her get out of the house. "Why am I just hearing about this?" Shiny Bell questioned, Rarity stared blankly for a second before responding, "I thought you knew." "I told you, I don't want you out after dark until Applebloom is found." Shiny responded in a very matter-of-fact voice. "I know, I know, but it would be super weird if I'm not there, I mean, everyone's going." Rarity said attempting to convince her mother. Shiny Bell sighed, "Just, be back by 10." Rarity nodded in agreement. "Why don't you take the girls, too? Shiny asked. "No" the girls all yelled seemingly at once. This confused Shiny, "Don't you think you should be there, for Applebloom?" Shiny asked. Suddenly, Sweetie saw Button Mash coming down the stairs behind her mother, she was so surprised she coughed the milk through her nose. Shiny was about to turn at what Sweetie was looking at, but the Dinky slammed both of her hooves on the table. The entire table looked puzzled at Dinky, "Sorry, spasm." Dinky said. The girls just glanced at each other about what just happened, everypony else at the table looked confused. Even Jewel, who was slumped back in her seat.
...
The search party for Applebloom was now over by Carrot Cake's diner, they were searching the woods behind it. They had even brought dogs to help. "Hey, you think The Dude really saw Applebloom?" one of the deputies asked Shining Armor as they searched. "I mean, that's she doin' with her head shaved? And stealing food from Carrot?" "Tell you what, when we find her, we'll ask." Shining responded. "Can't ask a corpse questions." The other deputy said sarcastically. Suddenly a whistle was blown, which meant somepony found something. The cops rushed over to where the whistle was being blown. They ran over to , the school teacher, who was knelt down next to some sort of drainage pipe. "What do you got?" Shining asked, "Not sure, maybe nothing." Cherilee replied as she held up a piece of fabric. "I found this, in there." She said. Shining inspected the fabric, it looked like what patients wear in a hospital. Shining Armor shined his flashlight down the tunnel, "No way a kid crawls through there." one of the deputies said, "I don't know, a scared enough one might, her brother said she was good at hiding." Shining said before leaving and walking in the direction that the pipe went. Eventually they came across a chain link fence, with a sign that said, "Ponyville National Laboratory."
...
Button Mash was now in the basement of the Bell's house, once again messing with Sweetie's supercomm. "Button?" he heard Sweetie call as she and the others came down the stairs. Sweetie carried a tray of food with her. "No adults, just us and some meatloaf." Sweetie said reassuringly to Button as she placed the tray in front of him. Button looked up at the two other fillies, he didn't trust them, especially the orange one. "Don't worry, they won't tell anypont about you." Sweetie ressured again. "They Promise, Right? Sweetie asked the other two. "We never would have upset you if we knew you had super powers." Dinky said in a giddy voice. Sweetie lightly slapped her on the leg. "Ow!" Dinky said. "What Dinky is trying to say is that they were scared earlier, that's all." Sweetie said. "We just wanted to find our friend." Scootaloo said. Button raised an eyebrow at this new word, "Friend?" Button asked, "Yeah, friend, Applebloom?" Scootaloo asked confused. "What is, friend?" Button asked. "Is he serious?" Scootaloo asked in an annoyed tone. Dinky shrugged. "Um, a friend is-" "Someone that you'd do anything for." Scootaloo started but Sweetie interrupted her. "You lend them your cool stuff, like comic books and trading cards." Dinky said. "And they never break a promise." Sweetie said. "That's super important, because friends tell each other things, things that parents don't know." Sweetie said. Button looked up and gave a soft smile to the three of them.
...
Fluttershy and Rarity were driving to Thunderlane's house when Rarity spoke, "Fluttershy, pull over." Fluttershy looked puzzled, "What?" Fluttershy questioned, "Pull over!" Rarity demanded, Fluttershy reluctantly obliged and pulled over. "What are we doing here? His house is three blocks away." Fluttershy said to Rarity, annoyed. "We can't park in the driveway." Rarity said, "Are you serious?" Fluttershy said with a frown. "Yeah, the neighbors might see." Rarity responded. "This is so stupid, I'm just gonna drop you off." Fluttershy said, Rarity turned and looked her straight in the eyes. "Calm down, Flutters, come on, you promised that you'd go, you're coming." Rarity said before sitting back. "We're gonna have a great time." Rarity said. "He just wants to get in your pants!" Fluttershy blurted out, "No he doesn't." Rarity said, chuckling. "Rarity, seriously, he invited you to his house, his parents aren't home, come one, you are not this stupid." Fluttershy said. "Soarin and Rainbow Dash are gonna be there." Rarity argued, "Soarin and Rainbow have been having sex since like, seventh grade." Fluttershy argued back, Rarity rolled her eyes. "It'll probably just be, like, a big orgy." Fluttershy said, "Gross." Rarity responded, "I'm serious!" Fluttershy said. "All right, well, you can be like my, guardian, All Right? Make sure I don't get drunk or do anything stupid." Rarity said as she took her shirt off to change into another one. Fluttershy sighed and looked over, she rolled her eyes again, "Is that a New bra?" she asked. Rarity looked slightly embarrassed, "No" She simply replied.
The two of them walked up the the large house and rang the doorbell. They could hear the music playing inside. Fluttershy was shaking, "Flutters, chill." Rarity said, "I'm chill." Fluttershy said, nodding. Thunderlane then dramatically opened the door, "Hello ladies." he said before inviting them in.
...
Back at the Bell residence, Button was inspecting the table in the basement, the Ogres and Oubliettes board was still on it. Button sat at the table. "What's the weirdo doing?" Scootaloo asked. Button sat there at the table, staring at the board, and all the figurines on it. Button shut his eyes, concentrating, "Button?" Sweetie asked. Button opened his eyes and picked up a figurine, it was of a female unicorn wearing a cloak and a pointy had and had a scepter. "Applebloom." He said as he held the figure, the other looked astonished, they had not told him which figure was Applebloom's. "Superpowers." Dinky said. "Scootaloo rolled her eyes at Dinky. "Sweetie Bell sat down at the table next to Button, "Did you see her? On Mirkwood?" Sweetie asked. "Do you know where she is?" Sweetie asked, then Button cleared all of the other figures off the table and flipped the board over, now a square of blackness was on the table, and finally, he grabbed Appebloom's figure and slammed it onto the black board. "I don't understand." Sweetie said. "Hiding." Button replied. "Applebloom is hiding?" Sweetie asked. Button nodded in response. "From the bad ponies?" Sweetie asked. Button shook his head, "Then from who?" Sweetie asked. Button picked up the Demogorgon figure and slammed it onto the table next to Applebloom's. The 3 fillies were scared silent, none of them knew exactly what Button meant, bu they knew it wasn't good.
...
Back at Mirkwood, where the police barricades were, a car pulled up next to them. Big Mac stepped out of the car, opened the trunk and grabbed his camera, he then snuck off into the woods and began taking random pictures, hoping to find some sort of clue to where his sister went. Suddenly, he heard a scream, and rushed off towards it, he then stopped when he looked through the trees and saw a house with a Pool and some Ponies around it, it was Thunderlane's house. The screaming was Rainbow Dash, who was very close to the edge, and Soarin was teasing her. "Stop it Soarin, no, don't!" Rainbow protested as he picked her up and swung her around. "You're such an Asshole Soarin." Rainbow said as he put her down. Thunderlane then picked up a can of beer and used a knife to cut a slit at the bottom, he then began to drink the beer from that cut. He chugged the entire thing in one go, Fluttershy rolled her eyes as she sat on a lounge chair. Thunder then sat down next to Rarity and lit a cigarette. "Is that supposed to impress me?" Rarity asked smugly. "You're not?" Thunder asked back, "You are a cliche, you do realize that?" Rarity said. "You are a cliche, with your gardes and your band practice." Thunder argued back. "I am so not in band." Rarity protested, laughing. "Okay, party girl, why don't you just, uh, show us how it's done then?" Thunder said, handing her a beer can and the knife. "Okay." Rarity said taking both. Flutterhsy shook her head. Big Mac watched this from the woods. "You gotta make a little hole in-" Thunder began, "I got it." Rarity said. "Yeah she's smart, you douche!" Soarin mocked before smashing a beer can on his head and throwing it down. Rarity finally made the cut and put the can to her lips and chugged, the others started chanting chug. Fluttershy rolled her eyes again, she couldn't believe Rarity right now. Rarity managed to chug the entire beer and the others cheered, she through the can down and took a bow. "Flutters, you wanna try?" Rarity asked, "What, no." Fluttershy said in a serious tone. Rarity grabbed another beer and began to walk over, "No, I don't want to. Thanks." Fluttershy said again. "Come on." Rarity said. "Yeah, come on, yeah." Thunder said. "Rarity, I don't want to." Fluttershy said in vain trying to stop this. "It's fun just give it a chance." Rarity said, giving the beer and knife to Fluttershy. Fluttershy rolled her eyes and gave into peer pressure. She stood up from the chair and attempted to cut into the can, but it slipped and she cut her hoof, which started to bleed. "Gnarly." Soarin said "Are you okay?" Rarity said concerned. "yeah." Fluttershay responded, "Flutters, you're bleeding." Rarity said trying to help, "I'm fine, where's your bathroom?" Fluttershy asked Thunder. "Oh, it's down past the kitchen, to the left." Thunder said, pointing. "okay thanks." Fluttershy said before going into the house.
Big Mac took a picture of the Ponies still hanging around the pool, he took some more. Then Soarin quickly shoved Rainbow Dash into the pool, everypony laughed. "What in the name of Celestia Soarin!?" Rainbow shouted from the pool. Soarin then dove into the pool to join her. Then Thunder shoved Rarity in, and jumped in after her. The 4 ponies began just messing around in the pool, splashing, making out, keep away with shoes, etc. Big Mac took more pictures of Rarity in the pool.
...
Back at the Apple's house, Buttercup had fallen asleep in the chair, the phone still on her lap, then it began to ring. She was jolted awake, she quickly picked up the phone and spoke, "Hello?" She asked, she heard muffled breathing, but no response. "Hello." She said again. "Who is this?" She then heard quiet breathing, the quiet breathing of her child. "Applebloom?" she asked, her voice breaking again. "Applebloom, it's me." She said, starting to sob as she heard indistinct noises along with the breathing. "Talk to me, I'm here." Buttercup said. "Just tell me where you are Honey." She continued. "I can hear you please." Buttercup continued to plead into the phone. "Mom?" A voice said, coming through the phone, though distorted, it was definitely Applebloom's. Buttercup gasped. "Applebloom!" She cried into the phone, "Yes! It's me, It's me, where are you? Where are you? Just talk to me." Buttercup sobbed into the phone as a noise became louder, until a spark of electricity came from the phone just like the night before, Buttercup screamed and dropped it. "Oh no, no!" Buttercup cried as she picked up and clutched the phone, she held it to her ear, and heard nothing, she had lost her again. Buttercup curled into a ball and wept. "NO!" she screamed through her tears, just then a light flickered in the hallway. She got up to follow it. The lights flickered down the hall, leading to Applebloom's room. "Big Mac?" Buttercup stammered as she followed the lights, she jumped when the stereo came on in Applebloom's room. She opened the door, and the lights were going crazy in the room. She walked over to the lamp, which began glowing very bright, then suddenly turned off, along with the other lights and stereo. Buttercup was in shock, she whimpered, confused and dazed. Suddenly a shape began to emerge from the wall, stretching and deforming the wallpaper, Buttercup looked over and shrieked. She ran right out the front door and got into her car, but before she could start, she looked back at the house and saw the lights flickering again. Buttercup then bravely got out of the car and walked back to her house.
...
Back at the party, the 4 teens were drying off from their late night pool roughhouse. "I'm freezing." Rainbow said as she wrapped herself in a towel. "Well I hear his mom's room has a fireplace." Soarin said leading Rainbow to it. "Are you kidding?" Thunder called out after them, "Okay, well, you know, you are cleaning the sheets." Thunder called out again. "You all right?" He asked Rarity, who was also wrapped in a towel, freezing. "Yeah." she responded. "Come on, let's get you some dry clothes." Thunder said, leading her through the house. They were heading upstairs, when Fluttershy stopped Rarity at the bottom. "Rarity!" she called, Rarity turned to face her best friend. "Where are you going?" Fluttershy asked. "Nowhere." Rarity replied, "Just, upstairs, to change, I fell in the pool." She said, noticing the disapproving look on Fluttershy's face. "Why don't you go ahead and go home." Rarity suggested. "I'll just, get a ride or something." Rarity said. "Rarity." Fluttershy said with pleading eyes. "Fluttershy." Rarity said back with similar pleading eyes. "I'm fine." Rarity said defending herself. "This isn't you." Fluttershy said in a sad tone. "I'm fine." Rarity said back in a deadpan tone. "Just, go ahead and go home, okay?" Rarity said before turning around and heading upstairs. Fluttershy was left at the bottom of the stairs, she scoffed, the couldn't believe her friend.
Big Mac saw Rarity looking out of Thunder's second story bedroom window, he looked, and snapped another picture. Rarity stood looking out the window, when she felt a hoof on her shoulder, she looked up and saw Thunderlane standing there with some dry clothes. "Thanks." She said as she took them. The two stood there awkwardly for a moment. "Um, some privacy maybe." Rarity said, Thunder then looked embarrassed, "oh, yeah right, sorry" he said, turning away. Rarity then thought for a moment, and decided that tonight should be the night, "Thunder?" she asked. Thunder turned back around, Rarity then removed her shirt, leaving only her bra. Thunder then widened his eyes and stood there dumbfounded, was she serious? "Damn." was all he could say. Rarity just chuckled, "Shut up." she said. Thunder walked back over, and the 2 embraced with a kiss. Big Mac looked up at the two with his camera, he felt angry and jealous. He looked up and saw Fluttershy sitting on the pool's diving board, he took a picture of her. He ran out of film, and quickly started reloading it. Fluttershy sat on the diving board, thinking about the events earlier in the night. She looked down at her hoof, which was covered in a cloth for the bleeding. A single drop of blood fell from the cut and landed in the pool. Suddenly the pool lights flickered out, and a growling sound was heard, Fluttershy turned around and there was a flash, and a slight scream. Big Mac looked up from his camera, and saw nopony, Fluttershy was no longer on the diving board. Big Mac decided he had enough and turned around and headed for his car. Then the pool lights came back on, and like Applebloom, Fluttershy had disappeared seemingly without a trace...
Authors Note: Finally done, this took a while, sorry, but I got work and stuff, and there was a lot of dialogue here. I will try to get chapter 3 out as soon as possible, I will try for Sunday the 20th. Also I need help, what is Button Mash's Mother's name? The is going to be Terry Ives. Also "the dude" is the Big Lebowski backround pony. Thanks again, please review and send feedback. :)