"Darling! You look.... well, to be frank, horrible. How was your trip?" she chattered on, oblivious to the skilfully hidden bandaged hoof belonging to Button Mash.

"Hey Rare."

Sweetie Belle smiled wearily at her big sister as she dragged Button Mash behind her, the young colt almost shuffling as he tried to keep his hoof away from Rarity's line of sight.

"Umm... Button Mash, sweetheart... what..?"

"I tripped!"

"He banged his hoof on a rock!"

The two simultaneous outbursts, of course, made their story more unbelievable.

The fashionista narrowed her sapphire eyes but decided against more questions. She had customers to tend to, orders to fill out, payments to be made.

"Okay, then, darlings."

He hadn't been out of his room for hours.

The soup she had left outside his door was cold, untouched. It seemed Opal had tipped the bowl over. The hall was cold, forlorn, wrapped in darkness.

Her heart was breaking, for him, for the mother who left, for her parents, her sister.

Her eyes swam.

Her head spun.

Sweetie Belle had never felt like this.

Author's Notes:

Re- edited so the plot can re flow.

Dreams and Doubts

Button dreamed of his mother that night.

In his dream, she laughed. She looked so much like his aunt Vera... Vera, who hated him. Vera, who had never stopped blaming her sister for the death of Vera's husband. If only she had gotten there sooner...

His mother morphed into Sweetie Belle. Her eyes were startling green... shades of green like creepers in Minecraft. Her laugh was beautiful- a dash of light in ever present darkness. He loved how her mane looked like cotton candy.

Dream Sweetie Belle laughed at something he'd said... whatever it was.

"Oh, Button." she grinned. And it was a true smile, one that curved delicately in the most alluring way.

Sweetie... he thought.

I never realised how much I love it when you smile.

The pleasant smell of bacon and frying butter was his means of awakening in the morning. He clopped downstairs to investigate.

There was Sweetie Belle, humming as she slid the sizzling bacon around the pan. The young colt nearly smirked as he got himself a plate and cutlery from the pantry.

"Oh, hey Button! I'm just making breakfast here... why don't we eat outside?"

"Sure thing Sweetie Belle."

She came outside with him to set the table, her magic laying the cutlery with more precision than his clumsy earth pony hooves.

The mare's hoof bumped against his injured one. Funny, he hadn't given it much of a thought.

She lifted it up to inspect it.

"I'll clean it again after breakfast." she murmured.

Their conversation was light and amongst friends. They were discussing, in a heated argument their favourite video games when Button caught the scent of smoke and a flash of orange.

"Umm... Sweetie Belle... did you turn off the gas when you came out here?"

And so the morning was spent putting out flames and trying to save breakfast... and cooking more. However, this time it was Button Mash's attempt. Needless to say the sisters would need to purchase a brand new fire extinguisher before Sweetie Belle or Button Mash attempted to cook breakfast again. In the end they just ordered pancakes from a nearby cafe and bringing it to Carousel Boutique.

And Rarity slept through it all.

He crept and stole through the quaint little houses until he reached one tucked into a sinister alleyway. The withered flowers suggested that this had once been a beautiful home teeming with greenery and probably life. The track was worn under many hooves... The burly stallion swept his gaze across the sheltered accommodation and muttered under his breath. He was about to raise his hoof to knock when the door swung open.

He flashed a wide and charming grin at the mare standing before him. She had a light, tan coat, green eyes and a chestnut mane done in a severe bun. Her cutie mark was a gavel... a lawyer, it seemed. Interesting... considering her line of work. The mare before him was haggard... In Celestia's mane, she stunk like booze.

She snarled at him. "Who are ya and whaddya want?"

The stallion curved his lips in a sneer. "Hello... Miss Vera."

Author's Notes:

This is more a filler chapter than anything... Yay I'm updating after like a year?? I'm so sorry... I'll try to be more regular with my updates, but can't guarantee anything. yeah this is short.