Pony POV Series: Button Mash

by Alex Warlorn

Rating: everyone
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Original Character, Button Mash, Fluttershy, Discord, Princess Celestia
Length: 17226

After the day of chaos, Button Mash's mother thought that moving to Ponyville where the Elements of Harmony lived would be safer(?), but what Discord did to them, is going to take more than just a change of scenery to heal.

See this video game addicts (and his mother's) own view and experience of the events of the pony POV Verse. You will be seeing more of this colt soon enough. As is standard for the Pony POV Verse, there will be plenty of surprises along the way.

Previous: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/art/Pony-POV-Series-Drabble-Cadence-s-Letters-459876775

Next Chapter: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/art/Pony-POV-Series-Button-Mash-Level-2-of-2-481721421

First Chapter: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/art/Pony-POV-Series-Fluttershy-FlutterCruel-Pearls-260092460

Trope page: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PonyPOVSeries (SERIOUSLY need to be kept up to date, every little bit helps!).

My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic And All Related Character Copyright Of Hasbro

PLEASE check out the ton of recursive fanfics of this fanfiction series. A lot of heart went into them! They also answer a lot of unaswered questions. http://mlp-pony-pov-series.deviantart.com/ For heaven sake they rock! Kendell2 and Oracle Mask and Richforce and Ardashir and Jawmax and Persona22 and Dragon of Twilight and ItsFromPeople and all the rest!!! Please?

Cover art by digiteku http://digiteku.deviantart.com/art/Galaxy-Button-Mash-464676664

Published 2014-09-25 17:20:03 UTC
Last updated 2014-09-29 06:44:16 UTC

Level 1

No! Earth Flower! How could Life Tree just kill you like that after he tried to make Cloudy Strife do it? Then he secs Cherry Nova Life on us after he does it? That's just mean. HEY! Give my game back! THAT'S MINE! I'm gonna tell mom!

You want me to talk about myself? Will you give me my Gamecolt back? You promise?

My Name is Button Mash. I'm in grade school. And I like video games. There, can I have my Gamecolt back now?

You want MORE? That's not fair!

You asked me to I talked about myself and I did!

...

Give it! Give it! Mom!

...

For my own good? I play too many video games? That's not nice. No my mom would never set all my video games on fire! She'd never do that! That's not nice to say about her! You should be ashamed.

Mom gets me all these games because she loves me, she'd never do anything mean to me. Of course I love my mom! Dad too, even if I don't see him a lot cause he's busy.

...

About time you gave it back, you shouldn't take things that don't belong to you. Hey, why is the boss asking me all these questions? And it's using my real name? Hey! No fair! What'd you do my video game? You big jerk!...It'll be fine? You better promise! A Pinkie Pie Swear? That'll do I guess.

Is that a limited edition Alpha Gold Banished Or Alive?...Yes I know fillies don't have tails that long in real life like in the game, I'm not stupid: except for Miss Fluttershy.

Okay okay, I promise to behave if you hoof over the video game after. You think I should play more Dragon Knight? I should play more Dragon Knight. Okay. These aren't the golems I'm looking for, uh, what?

Can I go back to playing my video games now? No? Please!

Get a life? You're not my mom! You don't get to say that!

Life outside my games? Why should I need one? The future? That's for later! I'm a grade schooler!

Everypony knows that video game addiction is a bunch of hooey! Do I need to play games? Yes! The Princess isn't going to save herself and those alien invaders aren't going to blow themselves up!

Besides, real life is boring, and they keep changing all the rules! Don't they know it's bad game design to change the rules in the middle of the game and not even tell you?

You know all those 'Try Actual Reality' public service posters are a totally bogus! It's not -really- free to play, the character generation is completely random, there's no save feature, and only getting one life? How is that fair?!

With video games at least you know the rules are gonna be consistent, and you can always start again if you mess up. Again, and again, and again, until you get the results you want. So the only way to REALLY lose a game is to give up.

It would be awful if real life was like that? Whaddya know?

My family is descendant from the Ponies of Paradise Estate? I've never heard of that video game before, what system is it?

So my great ancestor, from the age of...what did you call it? Myths? Sorry, I think I was playing Legend of Cadence: An Armor Of Two Worlds during that class, I really liked the twist at the end where the weird little pony selling you adventure items was really-- Age of Myths? My great ancestor?

So my great ancestor, the Big Brother Pony Slugger, went up against an evil witch who stole ponies' youth, and rescued the love of his life, the unicorn, Buttons? I guess that's kinda cool.

...

I'M NAMED AFTER A GIRL!?!? Ahhh!!!!

So is Lickety-Split? From a pony who was alive at the same time? I didn't know that.

Do I know Lickety-Split?

Well, mom asked me to try and make friends with him. She said our families both have a long history and we'd have a lot to talk about.

"So you wanna play ball?" I heard Lickety say.

"Uh-huh." Dang this boss was tough.

"So mom says you family is from Dream Valley too?"

"Uh-huh." Dang, how am I supposed to memorize this attack pattern?

"I've memorized a lot of stories my mom and grandma told me from then."

"Uh-huh." Maybe I needed to level up more.

"Would you like to meet Speedy Delivery, Lyra, Bon Bon, Moth, Applejack, and Twilight Sparkle at our next story meet?"

"Uh-huh." Fifth time I died, I'll grind some more.

"...Did you know that a pony with a name a lot like yours in one of my family stories got their youth stolen by a witch who presented her a happy illusionary world?"

"Uh-huh."

But uh, nothing really clicked.

Though I do kinda think that story would make a cool setting...would make a cool video game. Like William Wombat And The Kingdom Of Illusion for Mega-Genesis!

When did my family move to Ponyville? Well, most of my family did. My dad runs a game store in Canterlot. He isn't home much. But he sends me lot of video games!

Do I miss my friends? Of course not, I brought my copy of Animal Town with me, Kittenrina even planted flowers in front of my house.

....

REAL friends? I...didn't have any.

So why did mom decide to move here? Well, we moved here last year, just after...just after...the big glitch thingie UnknownNumber glitched up the whole world.

So I was playing video games, when it began to rain chocolate milk outside, or that's what mom said, I...didn't notice, or the cotton candy clouds, or the soap roads, or when our house started floating upside down...

(It was a lot like when Nightmare Moon attacked, mom just let me play my video games, she didn't want me to get scared, and she knew I lost track of time when I played anyway, so I didn't notice the sun should have been up already. She pretended everything was fine. I . . . I don't blame her.)

Then I think I heard somepony next to me saying....

"You'll never amount to anything in your life."

"Uh-huh."

"You'll have thrown away your entire foalhood away on mindless illusionary fake achievements."

"Uh-huh."

"I'll trap you in your own video games, for all eternity!"

"Really?! Sounds fun!" No school. No bedtime. No having to take bathroom breaks. I looked up at...a big glitch thingie dressed up like the Super Ponario Brothers. "Uh. Who are you? What are you doing in my bedroom? And were you serious about letting me be in my video games?"

He groaned like mom did sometimes. "You're more dense than that spawn of Galaxia's. Never mind about the 'live inside a game' thing. Normally I like the 'reject your reality types' but you're just annoying."

"But you just said-"

"And I said never mind!" he said, kinda reminding me of...well, me when a game was getting on my nerves. "Sigh. Okay. Let's try this again. Here's a nice new video game for you. Unless you don't think you're up for it. It's only for REAL hardcore players!"

"Of course I'm up for it! I'm the hardest hardcore gamer there is!" I said proudly.

"Alright." He gave me the game.

"Dark Spirits?" The game simmered with some kind of 'black light', like its very existence was an antithesis to all that Equestria, to all the world believed in: cool. Huh?

"Uh, the rating is all smudged. Mom won't let me play anything rated too high."

"And you listen to her?"

"Dad says playing a game that I'm not ready for could really screw me up and he knows a LOT about video games."

"Fine, it's rated E, happy?!"

"You bet!" I loaded it up and started playing!

Wow! The graphics, sound, music, and everything is super realistic! Wow! What an epic opening! So the sun is fading, and it's my job to save the land! Let's do this!

'To enhance gaming experience, we suggest you select nothing, or the pendant as your starting item? Okay.

....

What? The pendant is a joke item!? That wasn't funny! It has to do with the back story of the Fugitive Horsey?...Fine, I guess that works.

-You Died-

Ugh! Is this thing set on super-hard? There is no difficulty setting?! Don't lose it Button, you've tackled super hard games before, remember Ninja Gai-Pony? And everything worked out in the end and it was worth it.

Wow, I bet this guy will be my friend for this whole adventure, he died?

-You Died-

Why is this other guy so depressed?

Two bells to ring? But I was told there was only one. It's early in the game, your quest turning out to be bigger than expected is okay.

-You Died-

The boss I killed was only taking care of her little sister?!

-You Died-

If this big bony pony is one of the guys who defeated the dragons, then why do I need to kill him to progress?! What is he doing that's evil?!

-You Died-

Why is everypony attacking me if I was sent here by a friend of the king?

-You Died-

Don't attack me! I was sent here to see the princess! Why can't I just explain myself?!

-You Died-

The Princess is an illusion?! The sun is an illusion!? The sky is an illusion!?

-You Died-

Why do my mentors keep going crazy and trying to kill me? That's only supposed to happen once in a video game! Not multiple times!

-You Died-

SUN BRO! You were the only GOOD GUY in the whole game! Why did I need to kill you too?! I didn't? HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO FIGURE THAT OUT?!

-You Died-

Why did I need to kill that big doggie?! Couldn't I explain to him I needed the ring to save the land?!

-You Died-

Why would the flame of life going out of control create DEMONS!? Aren't they supposed to be the opposite of life or something?

-You Died-

Wait...that's it?...My character burns up? I don't get it. Extend the age? What age?! Everypony's dead now! I killed all the rulers and all the ponies' living here! There's no ponies to have an age! Is there some weird grown up complex moral I didn't get?!

....Maybe the other ending is better?

Cut content?...If that friendly guy at the start had lived he'd have challenged me to a fight to the death at the finale no matter what ending I chose?!

-You Died...A Lot-

WHY ARE THEY SO MUCH TOUGHER ON THE SECOND PLAY THROUGH!? Calm down Button, that's normal for a video game that wants to give you a really big challenge right? And...and that's what this game is about...the challenge, not that...everything you're fight for is hopeless....

And why is the screen going all swirly? Better hit it! That did it...I feel weird...

-You Died and lot and a lot-

THAT'S IT?! That's the other ending?!

I'm now the Dark Lord? The Dark Lord of what!? Everypony is dead! The land is dead! The world is dead! You don't help anypony! You don't save anypony! Everything is completely pointless!!!

What's the point of anything? We're all gonna grow old and die. Then everypony who knows me will grow old and die, and everypony who knew them will grow old and die, and it'll be like I was never born! Equestria will fall one day like every country in the world before in history did. My town will be abandoned and be forgotten. Ponies will go extinct or evolve into a new species and forget what old ponies looked like. The sun will burn out some day an the world will get eaten up the sun or freeze. And it'll be like ponies never existed. There's no point to anything!

All fires burn out, and the fires of friendship will turn to cinders too eventually, everything stops, dies, and turns to ashes. The more beautiful the flame, the more quickly it dies.

--

What happened to me while my son was being brainwashed by that beast?...I'm sure you can guess the part where he appeared as my cutie mark, a heart and a baby bottle floating in the air around me. First it heaped on the praise, buttering me up, and I won't say I didn't drink it in, I won't say raising Button Mash hadn't been a challenge.

That thing had a puppet show with himself, saying how brave, determined, and self-sacrificing I was to be a mother, and to have nurturing as my special talent. I've done it all, been a foal sitter, a teacher's aid, ran a day care before moving, I even substituted for kinder garden and pre-school teachers. Handling young foals is what I do and I'm proud of it.

I'd...I'd rather not quote what that thing said using my cutie mark to speak to me....

Then my son came in, saying he was scared and hungry. I tried to hug him, but he bit me! And then he revealed fangs like a vampire. Then a dozen more, completely identical to the first came charging in, fangs bared, saying they were hungry. They on marched me, eying me like I was food. I ran.

"Come on, isn't a mother supposed to provide for her foals? You're being selfish...." I heard that thing looking like my cutie mark laugh.

I fled out the door...only to find myself on a tight-rope with a pole in a circus. And below...on one side, were screaming babies that nearly pierced my eardrums wanting food, video games, and diaper changes. On the other were the most punkish, ugly, and delinquent looking teenagers you'd ever seen, telling me to go to Tartarus and that they needed money for a chariot, and that I was cramping their style. Some of them were even on witch weed and other things. And all of them wore my Button Mash's face.

And on both ends of the tight rope, the little cannibals were crawling on towards me!

"A parent provides, but what does a child give in return? A parent sacrifices, but what does the foal ever give up? You provide, but all you're raising is a parasite. It's a parasite the moment the infection takes hold in your body, and it just gets bigger and bigger, and it continues to feed off you until you have nothing left. How noble of you."

The rope broke and that horde descended upon me, looking at me with swirling eyes. And in that moment, I felt what I never had in my entire life, even when dealing the most spoiled brats or surly youths: I hated kids. I hated the sight and smell of them, what had the little parasites ever done for me? No better than leeches. The pole became a baseball bat, and I smacked up the horde until they stopped moving, and then hit them more for good measure.

I tossed aside the baseball bat, and not giving a buck about anything, I went back inside the, turning upside down with it, not caring about anypony around me. They were all parasites who feed off their parents until their kids began feeding off of them. The world was better off without them.

The inside of my house was now a twisted maze...I didn't care about my son, or the rest of the world. Or that stallion who had cursed me with that vile creature that had stolen my body from me. They were all filth.

I found my child, my real one, thank you Celestia I had tossed aside the baseball bat back in the circus tent. I remember being annoyed that I had missed one. He was just staring at a video game's title screen. I didn't even SAY anything to him. I just hit him. And told him how he was less than zero, he was a negative on the world's sum total.

I smashed the machine to get a reaction out of the spoiled brat, he didn't give any, he just sat there. He told me I could hit him all I wanted, there wasn't a point in ANYTHING. How dare he think I needed his PERMISSION to smack his worthless face?

I hit him again, and he didn't even react, at all. Saying how me hitting him didn't change anything. The little brat!

Then...then I...oh Celestia...I...please...give me a moment...Thank you...

The rainbow came...and in a flash I was back to my senses. I'd pretend it was a nightmare, but my son was...I broke down crying like a little filly myself, hugging my baby boy and shuddering as I held him, I got red on my coat, forcing myself not to let him go.

I calmed down enough to take my bundle of joy to the hospital…there were many pregnant mothers and other parents with their foals there as well. So many ponies...how many foals and ponies had that devil hurt? It made me angry too.

I couldn't stay in that house after that, I just couldn't.

We moved to the home town of the heroes who defeated Discord, being in sight of Princess Celestia's capital city made it even more ideal, I only found out later that, that beast had used it as his personal throne space and that the monster was petrified and sealed up again in Canterlot itself. Why didn't the Princesses just take a sledgehammer to that thing?

My son wasn't playing his video games. You think I'd be happy. But he wasn't going outside either. At dinner he only spoke if spoken to, and rarely more than a couple words. His grades were dropping, not from too many distractions, but like he wasn't even trying. Button didn't smile.

That beast meanwhile had trapped my husband in his own video games, but not as the hero, but all the rest. The monsters the heroes destroyed without a second thought for gold and experience, the identical faceless NPCs who said the same lines over and over as the hero ransacked their house. The bosses who just sat waiting in their rooms for the hero to come and kill them. My husband was made to be them all. With a clear view of that thing on the other side of the screen, playing the game. Discord had apparently said something about 'I wanted to play this game with your son, but he wasn't interested.'

My husband was jumpy around anything that went 'beep,' and he didn't open his shop for weeks, and he stayed away from our son's video game collection like they were cursed and never once went into his design room.

...Ironically Ponyville was also closer to where my husband worked. We never moved before, Button was born in my home town after all, he had moved to live there for my sake. But those memories had been tainted, and far more important, after Nightmare Moon and now that thing, I felt being closer to Equestria's heroes who had defeated both monsters was a safer place to raise my family. Yes, near the dreaded and unnatural Everfree Forest...I never said it was a rational decision. At least Button wasn't one to wander off.

I was more concerned about my little foal, and what that monster, and what I had done to him.

One bonus about moving to Ponyville, was the vast collection of psychologists and counselors that Princess Celestia had sent to Ponyville to help that beast's victims, so my family wasn't alone.

Many ponies kept to themselves what that beast had done to them. Hurt and ashamed, like what he had done to them was their fault...I knew how they felt.

I loved my son and my husband: and all it had taken was lies and some sick magic to reverse what made me proud. Was my love not strong enough? I thought of all the times I was frustrated or angry with my husband or child, had that beast brought to the surface how I had really felt all that time?

Names weren't given, but I was told I wasn't the only parent who had been made to hurt their foal...and their own foals were now scared of them. Foals, scared of their own parents, that wrongness of that made me ill. They were treating GOOD parents like they were abusers (which I PRAY Equestria has the lowest population of possible)...Yes, you're right, it is an unnatural fear that shouldn't be.

Button Mash....

--

I didn't really care when mom hit me, I didn't care about anything. Everything was dumb, everything ended, everything was pointless, everything flickered out when you pulled the plug. I...I didn't care when she hit me a lot more.

The big rainbow washed over everything. And I really cared I hurt all over. I was really dizzy.

I'd never seem mama cry before. She was crying so much I saw it even though my eyes' vision was blurry.

Mama hugged me. I was having trouble staying awake on the way there. I still hurt. I couldn't walk straight. Mom took me to the doctor.

....

I...I...mom was really sad. Dad was really scared.

That was when we moved to Ponyville.

Mom took me to this nice pony in an office, told me she was going to help me feel better. The nice pony told me how I had to understand that mom really loved me, that the glitch thingie MADE HER do those things, just like it had MADE ME not care about anything.

But I remembered playing the game (I couldn't find it later), I remember how no matter what choice I made, the land was doomed, that nothing me or any of the characters did had any meaning.

Did...did that mean the glitch thingie convinced mom I was a bad pony? That I wasn't a good boy? ...That mom shouldn't care about me?

They say grown-up say a lot of things through stuff they make that they can't say straight up for weird grown-up reasons...did that mean....

"Mom, the sky isn't an illusion is it? The princesses don't create a big mirage above us so we don't realize the universe is dead do they?"

-

I wrote an angry letter to that game's producers, and what I thought of their nihilistic story setting. The wall-eyed pegasus promised she'd deliver it...but she had me pay extra postage for non-domestic time/space travel.

I was told by her eldest child that I was better off not getting involved in wondering how that worked. I've told Button Mash to stay away from the weird pony with the blue shed.

And I had more important things to think about, I actually sent a letter requesting an audience for myself and my son with Princess Celestia... Yes, I dared ask to be in the presence of the goddess of the sun for the sake of my foal. Did you think I was going to do less?

I was honestly surprised when I got a reply letter saying my request for an audience was granted! Given all Princess Celestia had to be dealing with after what that beast had done, I wondered when she found time to sleep! Did she sleep?

At least it gave me a chance to see more of the stallion I had promised to share my life with. No, I've always been faithful to him, as I've always known he's been faithful to me. We don't see each other as much as we should, but the moments we can share are beautiful.

And yes, we have played O&O. I was a gamer geek when I was younger. How do you think we met? Shadow Dancer/Paladin Half-Dragon/Flutterpony. My Dungeon Master screamed when he first read my character sheet.

I'd been to Canterlot before, so had Button Mash, it was where my husband had his business after all. There wasn't much call for expensive and new video games in the town we'd lived in. Canterlot was a city where ponies had deep enough pockets for the newest toys for their foals (though admittedly, not all spoiled rotten, I've met some in my time, maybe it just came to their parents simply having more to share with their children). We hadn't moved to Canterlot because -I- had wanted to stay in the comfort of our hometown with my foalhood memories. Now I'd left it behind anyway.

But, in all those visits, we had never had an audience with or come face to face with the Alicorn of the sun herself. We'd seen the People's Princess Cadenza, but never the Alicorn whose crowning happened when myth and history blurred.

The castle was much larger than it first looked. Due to social norms in Canterlot, I made sure to put on a good dress and Button on a nice shirt even if he complained that it itched.

"ANNOUNCING MRS. MATERNITY LOVE-TAP, AND MASTER BUTTON MASH!"

"Master?! Cool!"

"It's just a traditional way of saying you're not old enough to be called 'Mr.' dear."

"Ah nuts!"

I swear I heard The Princess giggle at Button Mash's antics.

In retrospect, I should have included honey in the request for an audience, Button could have used the support.

We stood in awe of her presence, even if Button Mash was playing his GameColt I think he'd have stopped playing.

We didn't burst into flames in her presence, that's always a good sign.

We trotted up to the throne, and I prostrated to Her Highness, and push down Button to do the same.

"Welcome my little ponies, please, what do you wish to converse with me?"

"Your Highness, I only request you answer my son's questions truthfully."

I admit...I felt so strange asking the ruler of Equestria to listen to the questions of a young foal...it just made me wonder how she'd react. I hoped if she was angry she'd show it at me and not Button.

The Princess smiled. "Of course I can."

I blinked. "R-Really?"

"Yes, I love speaking with my little ponies," she said, keeping a warm smile. She made me think of my own mother...so warm and inviting.

"You Pinkie Pie promise?" Button asked.

I'm proud for not wetting myself.

The Princess looked at my son, staring into his soul! I don't think Button realized what he had done as he innocently looked up at the sun herself.

We're doomed.

"Cross My Heart, Hope To Fly, Stick a Cup Cake In My Eye. I promise to answer your questions for this audience truthfully."

What?

It's a miracle I didn't dislocate my jaw it dropped so hard.

The Princess chuckled. "I know Pinkie Pie quite well."

She pointed to two stained glass windows, depicting the defeats of Nightmare Moon and Discord.

"She's a joy to know, really. I don't believe I've ever met a pony like her...well, maybe one other time."

The princess seemed a little...wistful.

"Button Mash, ask your questions. I promise I will be completely truthful."

Now Button Mash DID look worried, this wasn't the look of a foal worried about Santa Hooves not being real, this was my son terrified that the world itself was more fake than his make believe worlds.

"...Is the sky an illusion? Is the sun an illusion? Are the moon and stars illusions? Is it a big magical canopy or something so ponies don't realize the universe is dead? A clever deceit held up you and Princess Luna? So Equestria can just go on and most ponies don't need to know?"

"Mrs. Love-Tap, I'd like to give your son the answers he seeks hooves on, I give my word he shall come to no harm. Would you concede?"

I blinked. I...wasn't expecting that. "I...Can I see it as well? With him? Is that possible? I just..."

The Princess looked very much like she wasn't expecting that answer either.

She sighed. "Very well. Guards, we will be going on a brief leave, we will be back shortly, do not worry, do not cancel my other audiences, we shall be back shortly."

Mom wanted to come along with...whatever it was that The Princess wanted to show me? I didn't see that coming.

"Mrs. Love-Tap, whatever happens, you must stay close to me."

Mom bowed her head. "Yes Your Highness."

The Princess' horn glowed, and me and mom were covered in a pretty gold aura like an invincibility shield. Then everything flashed gold and we were outside above Canterlot!

What a view! Cool! Wyvern-Born has nothing on this!

Heh! Mom screamed a little boy foal and hugged me.

"Don't worry," The Princess said, letting mom calm down. "You won't fall. Now pay attention. You won't see a view like this again!" And we zoomed up really fast! The Princess carrying us up with her! Canterlot got smaller and smaller, we flew up past Cloudsdale and kept going, I could actually see the stars in the middle of the day!

WOW! I THINK I CAN SEE ALL OF EQUESTRIA FROM HERE!

Mom won't stop hugging me!

Then...when we were way above Equestria, no, I think we were above the whole world!

There were stars everywhere! I could see the moon too! It looked so big! Like I could reach out and touch it!

I admit...while that moment was frightening, the look of awe on Button's face again...

"I shall now answer your question. No little Button Mash: the sky is NOT an illusion, nor are the stars, the sun, or the moon. If our sky was an illusion, would it make sense that the stars would be here when it's day time in Canterlot?"

"Uh...." I felt like I was in Miss Cheerilee's class. "I dunno."

"I suppose this COULD be just a more elaborate illusion," The Princess said, giving a smile that reminded me of mom sometimes. "Or just be how the illusion works. Let me challenge that as well."

Everything flashed gold again, it didn't seem to last longer, but it FELT like it lasted longer. Uh, I dunno what I mean either. This gives me a headache.

Mom's grip on me loosened some.

Wait a sec'...is that Earth super far off? The stars are everywhere in the sky, the ground is all gray and rocky and dusty and..."Are...are we...are we-" I stuttered. This was too real!

"We are on the moon little pony."

The jumping physics in the Moon Level of Pony Tales weren't exaggerating! I'd never jumped so high in my life! Whoo-hoo! I ran super fast. The Princess stayed close to me no matter how fast I went.

"Button be careful!" Mom shouted super jumping after me too. Wow! So this is what the Ponario Brothers feel like!

Everything was so gray...the place has so many big craters everywhere....I floated down and took a bite. BLECH! The moon is NOT made of cheese!

"Do you like it?" The Princess asked.

"Tastes awful!"

"Well, I guess your family are not rock farmers then." The Princess smiled. "Luna wants lunar rock farmers to exist some day, and I would see nothing wrong with it. If you wish, you may take the rock with you."

"REALLY?!"

"I am sure my sister would not mind. After all, there is nothing my sister desires more than for ponies to love her night and her moon. And take it as proof forever that the moon is real. Subject it to any test you can think of to any alchemist you can find, and they will tell you that rock did not come from our world."

Wow?! Really?! Yep! I'm the only foal IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD TO OWN A PIECE OF THE MOON! YIPPIE!

"Heeeeeeeyyy!" I pointed at a cliff face with a big fancy drawing of an owlbear on it. "What's that?"

Did The Princess just blush? "That's...an expression of my sister's creative side. Few ponies realize it, but Luna has always been the more artistic of the two of us."

"Uh, yes I can see that," Mom said like she wasn't sure what to say. She was looking at some drawings on another cliff. It had a picture of a cartoony Princess Celestia with x's for eyes and her tongue sticking out being danced on by a cartoony Nightmare Moon and the words 'DIE CELLY, DIE!' scribbled above it.

The wall was covered in creepy scribbles like that. Including one with a super fat Princess Celestia saying, 'I'M A BIG FAT STUPID HEAD!' And bat-ponies dancing happily under the moon on top of a grave that read 'Here's Lies Princess One-Star-Butt.'

I tried to read another one, but mom covered it with her hoof. "That one has words I'd rather you not know exist, dear."

"...I can't entirely blame Luna..." the Princess muttered. It was weird seeing her look sad. "Do remember my sister was... Not quite herself at the time."

The Princess cleared her throat. "And that does bring up another flaw in the lie you were fed, my little pony: the legend of my sister's fall specifically said 'the stars will aid in her escape.' If the universe was dead and there were no longer any stars, then how did she escape?"

"Oh... I didn't...I didn't even really think about that part," I admitted. I didn't really pay attention to that part of Nightmare Night, I was in it mostly for the free candy, even if you had to give up some at the end just to keep Nightmare Moon from eating you, a big ponies in my old class said it was just so we didn't get fat.

Then The Princess flew and she carried us off with her magic again, and she carried us over the moon, sure it was all cool and everything, but so much of it was just gray! Hey!

"What's that!" I pointed.

Mom pushed my hoof down. "Not polite to point dear."

There was a castle right there on the moon! With lots of crescent moons and big tops like those castles in Saddlerabia have!

"That would be my sister's...vacation home...it became a more permanent residence for the thousand years she remained here."

I pointed again. "Who are those guys?!"

"WHAT are they?!" Mom gasped out.

There were a bunch of rabbit shaped puffy clouds or something, cleaning and stuff the little castle. They were really far away. I don't think they saw us.

"Those are...the Moon Tribe...they are...my sister's story, not mine. This moon is their native home, or perhaps been their home so long that they themselves have forgotten where they came from. I repeat, I'm not the one to tell their story."

"...I thought the moon was supposed to be home to some nasty dark magic things..." I replied.

"No, those don't exist. Since Luna has been...freed of Nightmare Moon, she's recently returned here at her full glory to undo the lies Nightmare Moon had spread about the world below, and helped them let go of their dark magic Nightmare Moon had taught them."

"I guess they're...sort of cute," I heard mom say.

I looked around a bit and blinked. "Uh, what's that?" I asked, pointing to a weird flag that kinda looked like something I'd seen in a videogame based on some lost civilization.

The Princess gave a chuckle. "That is proof, my little ponies, that you are capable of great things when you are united in your hearts and dreams.

"Come...." Celestia said. "We have one more stop to make." Sun glasses appeared on us. And the big 'everything was gold' flash happened again, for a lot longer this time, but at the same time, the same as before. Blech! How do unicorns not go crazy from this stuff?

Now there was a big sea of fire beneath us. It's so hot and bright! The aura around us is sure a lot thicker than before.

"Are we in Tartarus?" I heard mom asked.

For the first time, I think The Princess actually looked insulted. Mom whimpered.

"No. This is not Tartarus. This is the closest star to Equestria, my sun."

"You have a son and he's a star?!" I gasped.

"No no no!... The SUN, the big yellow thing that I am and it is me, is a star."

"But how is that possible?!" Mom gasped. "It's so big and-"

"I really need to get Lulu to encourage more astronomy," I heard The Princess say under her breath. "No. They only LOOK smaller because they are so far away."

"But...but that means-" Mom was stuttering.

"Yes. The stars in my sisters' sky are all suns as great and powerful as mine. And each one that has planets circling it is me."

"Circling the sun? But...how can..."

Birds, made out of fire, flew towards Mom and started hugging her. Only stopped from touching her from the gold glow that was surrounding us. Mom was sweating like a pig though.

"Shoo-shoo!" The Princess flapped her wings and the flaming birds scattered. Mom's aura got bigger and it looked like she a soft breeze going inside it. "Forgive them, I'm normally the only visitor they get and I am . . . able to accept their affection."

"W-what are those?!" Mom gasped.

"Sunbirds."

"What are those?" I pointed at the surface of the sea of fire.

"Those are sunflowers."

"Ooooh," I said, understanding.

"There's life on the sun?" Mom asked, looking really surprised.

"Of course. Life persists and survives everywhere, my little pony. Though these specific creatures are...my children so to speak. At least in the sense of they are creatures of the sun. They cannot survive anywhere else."

"Can we see some sunfish?" I asked.

"Sorry, it would be, too uncomfortable for you, I apologize. They're far below the surface normally. Whenever I've had convicts here, as part of their rehabilitation, they often take part in sunbird raising and sunflower farming...and feeding the sunfish."

"You've banished ponies here?!" Mom gasped.

"Not any ponies, thankfully. But I have had others reside here for a time over the eons, trust me when I say that they were not creatures in your worst nightmares you'd want to meet. I would explain more, but…"

Celestia gave me a look. "You know how in the Legend of Cadence, Tirek does very bad things?"

"Yeah! Especially in that bad future in one game!"

"...That is the kind of creature I send here."

"I'm . . . surprised you know about that sort game Your Highness, I'm sorry, I'm stupid, you know everything." Mom said.

"Not quite actually . . . and I actually was a quality consultant on that game since it involved my niece. They didn't want to accidentally insult me."

"I see...Is there anycreature here now?" Mom whispered.

"No, thankfully. The last one was over a thousand years ago, but he emerged reformed about...750 years ago. He went on to be the favorite caretaker Philomena has ever had."

"Who?" I asked.

"My pet phoenix. She is very picky about...well, everything."

"I know how that can be," Mom said. Mom and the Princess whispered a couple things and giggled hey no fair! Then Mom gasped and blushed postrated. "I'm sorry Your Highness! I shouldn't speak of such things to you!"

"Oh it is quite alright, I enjoy speaking with my little ponies. To be honest, this is the most fun I've had all day," Celestia replied. "Oh, and watch this."

Celestia whistled and the sunbirds flew back up. She whistled again and they started singing along with it! It was cool!

Huh? Vacuum of space how did we hear them singing?...I dunno...But it was fun!

Mom clapped her hooves. "You . . . have them very well trained Your Highness."

Whew it was hot.

"Not so much training as understanding. But I believe it's best we make our departure now. I'd give you a trinket to take home...but everything here is 9 million degrees and radioactive, so I hope you understand."

"Radio what?" Me and mom asked.

"A word I hope you, my little ponies, never have to learn."
The birds whimpered.

"I'll visit again some other time," she promised 'em. I wished I had a camera! This place totally cool! . . . Eh, totally hot!

Then a big golden flash, and we were above the world again, and we went into the longest, coolest, most awesome skydive ever! Okay I've never BEEN skydiving, but I've played plenty of characters who have!

Mom was screaming for the first minute, (we were REALLY high up), hugging me super tight, but then she calmed down and opened her eyes, and slowly loosened her hold on me just a tiny bit.

There was no background music, there were no score highlights to tell you how good you were doing, no distance meter to tell you how close you were to the ground. No I couldn't feel the wind flapping in my face. I think it had something to do with the golden glow around me and mom.

"Princess Celestia?" I asked.

"Yes Button Mash?"

"Can you...can you please...let me...feel us going down?"

"Do you still think all you've seen is a false image fed to your mind?"

"No. I just... I just wanna."

We were getting close to the clouds now.

"...Very well, brace yourself."

And suddenly I could feel EVERYTHING! My beanie went flying off, "HEY!"

Princess Celestia caught my beanie with her magic with a grin. "I'll hold onto this for the moment."

I hope mom doesn't think I need a hair cut! And yes, my cheeks did get blown back like in the comics! It was cool! This was why they made so many skydiving levels!

The ride down was AWESOME! I could feel the wind on all of me! It was wet, cold, noisy, and felt like I was getting hit by a wet blanket, but it was so cool!

I could see all of Equestria! (Again, only this time I actually was taking everything in.) Yes, I know what Equestria looks like! I've played lots of games with maps of it!

Down we went, everything coming up closer and closer, everything getting bigger.

"Hey! I can see where dad works from here!"

"Forgive me if I slow down our ride now before we come back in for a landing."

And the Princess' magic surrounded us again, and we got moved slower and slower as Canterlot kept getting bigger, until...until we landed softly on a big pillow next to a fancy looking table on balcony.

"I felt us teleporting back into the throne room would be a rather lackluster way to finish this excursion...Have I answered your questions fully, Button Mash, to your satisfaction?" She put my beanie back on my head. I realized it still had my new moon rock in it.

After that big ride...all I could really do was nod. It was like I had so many words I wanted to say, that they couldn't get out. Okay, one did.

"Can we do it again?"

"NO!" Mom shouted, she was hugging the floor. "I mean...m-maybe some other time."

"You flatter me Button Mash, but I hope you understand I must look after and help all my little ponies, little colt. It would not be polite to everypony else if I did this every day for you. What I showed you was to help you, not entertain you, though I hope you look back on this as a happy memory."

I nodded. "I promise."

A light flare was sent from the Princess' horn into the air making fireworks. A few seconds later a pair of pegasi dressed up a lot like the Golden Age version of Fillisecond zoomed to the balcony pulling a chariot with a wind screen and seat belts.

"Princess Celestia! How may we serve you!" They said with faces so straight it actually made me giggle.

"Please escort Mrs. Maternity Love-Tap and Master Button Mash to anywhere in Canterlot, or Ponyville they wish to go."

"Wow! So not only did I get to go on a really awesome trip with the Princess, I get to be escorted by superheroes?!" I asked, wondering when I'd stepped into the coolest adventure ever!

"Oh they are not superheroes, not anymore than the rest of the Royal Guard of course. They are however my best messengers and couriers when other magical or physical methods cannot pull through."

"Oh...do they still have superpowers?"

"Climb into the chariot, tell them where you wish to be dropped off, and find out. Unless you have anything else you wish to discuss with me first."

"Your Highness...." Mom said, "Thank you for....for helping my son."

"It's my responsibility as your Princess to help all my little ponies. Including you and your son. Think nothing of it."

"This is the first time in a long time I've seen him excited over something other than his video games."

"I take it he likes them?"

"He lives for them...or did before...you know..."

"Interesting. If you will excuse me, there are other ponies of mine who desperately wish to speak with me before the day is out. Good-day my little ponies." She nuzzled me, and then mom, then she turned around and vanished in a big golden flash of light.

We just stood there for a bit then mom said to the two superponies,

"Can you...please take us back to Ponyville train station?"

"Ma'am yes ma'am!"

Mom picked me up in her mouth, and put me in the chariot and buckled my seat belt.

Mooooom! I'm not a baby! I can do it myself.

She buckled herself in.

"Are you secure madam?" Said one the super guards.

"I believe so, yes, and so is my son."

"Are you sure madam?" Asked the second one.

Mom tightened my seatbelt a bit, ick, and said, "Yes."

"Then hold on and remain calm."

And ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Me and mom both screamed! This was way faster than the train! It was like we were fallin' forwards! It mean it was super-duper ultra-fast! This must be what Rainboom The Hedgemouse feels like!

Yep, they definitely had super powers. Huh? Yeah, I guess that means Miss Rainbow Dash does too, but that's so awesome! Why isn't there a video game about her yet? That's what she said? Huh...well she's right. I'd play it.

It was over way too soon. They neatly parked the chariot right there at the train station. Why do they have a pig pen here?

They told us bye bye and zoomed back to Canterlot.

"I...guess we won't be needing those return tickets," Mom said. "I will be needing a new dress though."

"Why?"

"...Reasons..."

So that was my trip to Canterlot! Pretty cool huh? Can I have the limited edition Alpha Gold Banished Or Alive now? OH COME ON! You want more?! Huh? The wait will make it more satisfying? I am satisfied! Why can't you be? You still want more?...Geeze, you're worse than Miss Cheerilee.

Mom keeps lookin' up at the sky since our trip to the moon and sun sayin', "Suns...like ours."

And I still have my moon rock. I keep it under my bed next to mom and dad's Pong machine.

Dad? Well, I told him all about it, and so did mom. He believed us sure, and I had the moon rock to show 'em. Mom said she as all sorry for not bringing him with us. I mean, really sorry. I guess it really was too bad. It would have been fun for him to see all that too. Dad said he forgave her and hugged her.

Did I tell the other kids at school? Well, yeah. I even showed them the moon rock.

The first foal I told was the unicorn filly with the weird-eyed mom, she said the pony who lived in the blue shed had taken her to LOTS of moons...I slowly backed away.

The next ones I told were...well, that pretty silver filly with glasses and that pink filly with the crown (like a princess). They both kinda told me the same thing.

"You needed PRINCESS CELESTIA to TAKE YOU to the moon and sun just to prove to you that the sun and moon are REAL!? What kind of pathetic paranoid conspiracy nutbag are you?"

I...Kinda didn't talk to many foals about it afterwards. The rest I told? Well, I think they saw all the video games being moved into our house and thought I was talking about one of the games I owned....I just wanted to share.

I never really was interested in being popular anyway. What? No no no no that wasn't ironic! I really AM not interested in being popular! I like my alone time! Yes I know what ironic means, I'm not stupid!

But...I still didn't feel like playing any of my video games...or any games for that matter, or reading books, or seeing movies or plays. I mean...it was predetermined how it was going to turn out. What was the point in any of it? There were a dozen foals out there playing these games too, saving the same worlds...what difference did it make if I saved them too or not?

Mom got something in the mail, she said something about 'freight for crossing time and space again' or something.

"It's for you honey," she told me.

It was a video game. I hadn't gotten any new ones since the day the world got glitched.

"O-Celest?" Okay, I sound this sounds weird, but I swear it kinda glowed.

Sounds familiar, but I can't remember where I'd heard of it.

It said that the postage had been paid by the Canterlot Royal Treasury. I'll admit, I'm happy my son has gotten over his irrational fears. But...he still had this sense of, disinterest around him, not just about his video games but...in doing anything. The psychologist said he was having trouble seeing the point in doing anything. Foals were entitled to have that sense of awe and wonderment about the world, it felt so wrong.

As addicted to video games as my little boy was, he's been surprisingly diligent most of the time when it comes to being ready for school (often waking me up early just in case I was trying to sleep in). I remember one time he'd been so excited for the first day of school he woke me up on SUNDAY. Now...he was going through things simply because he was told to do it.

That...adventure with Princess Celestia had helped more than I think I could ever imagine. But it hadn't fixed everything. My son didn't have the joy back for the thing he loved.

Why was that so important? You need to ask? I am NOT having my little boy grow up with the object lesson that 'because something awful happened to you related to something you love, you should give up that thing you love to avoid being hurt again.' Never!

Mom told me I should give it a try. Somepony she said wanted me to have it, so it would be rude not to just try it out.

I never thought I'd have to ENCOURAGE Button Mash to play a video game!

I thought of what happened when I played the game the glitch-thingie had given me...and I shuddered. Mom hugged me.

"Look, I'll sit and be with you while you play, all right? I'll be there in case it's not a nice game."

My husband, he was still seeing the psychologists. It was safe to say what happened to him was worse than what happened to me or our son. One thing was kind at least, he never once blamed Button Mash for it, regardless of what that beast said.

His life long friend, Gaffer told us that beast had stuck him as Dungeon Master with the most abusive, spoiled, disruptive, 'kick in the door' style players who couldn't have cared less about the story world Gaffer had made. "They were worse than Poindexter's robot!"

It made him say he HATED fantasy, and HATED games, HATED story-telling, that all players wanted was a sense of POWER, and began destroying his own shop. The 'due to rampaging deity' clause that mysteriously began to appear on insurance policies just before Nightmare Moon's return was still valid thankfully.

He began to become OCD in trying to craft a perfect game world, and wouldn't stop or let anyone see it until 'it was done.' We all had a feeling that time was going to be 'never.' We talked with his psychologist, and we conspired and unleashed a small raiding party of foals on him wanting to play a SIMPLE game of O&O.

Gaffer had to teach them the basics from square one. They were mostly foals from Canterlot, who also wanted an escape of what that beast had done to them (that beast spared nopony, let alone foals). And...it was wonderful seeing him rediscover his love of the game through their eyes. By helping them with their baby-steps, he was able to take his own and remembered what it was about the game he loved so dearly. And it gave the foals a sense of rules and choices again. The best part I think for him was foals LOVED adding to stories they were told and games of make believe. They just had such a PASSION and imagination for playing, but still respected HIM as a grown up. They both had fun and loved it.

Why did I go off on a tangent like that?

Because deep down, I was hoping that this could do the same thing for my Button Mash. And maybe, just maybe, seeing his son love games again, would inspire my husband to embrace what he loved again in spite of that beast's best efforts to destroy his love for it. And so my son played the game.

The art style was weird. It wasn't super realistic, it all looked like one big drawing. The music wasn't an orchestra like I'm used to hearing in these big games. There wasn't any voice acting, just different mumbling sounds for the characters. Though that was more than some games that just used text. In Dark Spirits they used lots of voice acting.

And then we started the game's intro.

...Somepony pulled a sword out of a stone, and unreleased a big nasty super hydra or something and ran away. Then...the world got destroyed, and was all black, dark, and empty.

....

But this time we weren't fighting to kill the hollow remains of Princess Celestia, while Princess Luna created an illusion of the sun in the sky...

We were...WE'RE PLAYING AS CELESTIA?!

The spirit of a crystal tree woke up Princess Celestia, who was either sleeping as a statue for a hundred years, or called back her spirit into her statue, or something, I wasn't sure, she was given the Element of Magic and the statue turned into the flesh and blood Princess Celestia.

Sort of...she was smaller than the Princess Celestia I met, and she had a big pink mane instead of lots of colors.

A little bug pony called a breezie was acting as the game's hint giver and narrative guide and Princess Celestia's constant companion. Thankfully he wasn't one of the irritating ones.

Celest went inside the crystal tree, and got a new power from another Alicorn, which she used to cut open a fruit on the crystal tree that restored the world...but not the sun.

And it turns out that Celest had the power to restore the sun from the very beginning of the game! I figured it out in a minute.

And it turns out ordinary ponies couldn't see she was an Alicorn somehow. And they couldn't see the imps and other monsters either. So Celest had to take care of them.

And beating up monster only gave you money. You got experience by helping ponies and restoring nature!

Okay okay I'll stop gushing! Gushing? I'm gushing!

So she goes finding the other Elements of Harmony, gaining new power from her fellow Alicorns. To completely heal and restore the world and the ponies in it.

She's bringing LIFE back to the world!

Geeze…this game sure is long...it's like an entire book series or something. I think mom got a little bored at a couple points.

There's so much to talk about, WAY too much stuff! Please please please please please please please don't make me go over ALL OF IT!

You won't? Thanks!

The pony who's a descendant of Luna pulled out the sword sick of hearing about his ancestor defeating the big dragon, but finding out it was true decides to act brave and save his girlfriend and help Celest beat the big dragon. And he REFUSES to become a Nightmare at the big dragons offer? He shattered the barrier that was making the dragon invincible!

And that magic potion his girlfriend made can now affect the dragon! Huh? Mom said it was a magic potion...Don't think about it? Okay!

The Sword Of Luna glows than to Celest and cuts off the dragon's heads! Wow! He slices the last one in half right down the middle! Awesome!

We saved the world!

But I don't have all the Elements. Or the special pony tribe power. The game isn't over yet?

Two more big adventures? Alright.

The big water dragon monster we were fighting was the seapony king gone nuts by the villian and we killed him?! But his spirit is THANKING US?

The earth pony queen is dead!? But she uses the last of her power to show us where the villain's island is going to appear next.

The seapony queen chooses to continue to lead the seaponies in her husband's memory and become the NEW water dragon to help protect them and help us reach the bad guy's lair? She's bad flank.

The big fox monster dresses up like an Alicorn to mock us and what he thinks of the Alicorns.

Let us show 'em what a REAL Alicorn can do! Hi-yay!

One last adventure. Geeze, who'd have guessed our Breezie companion would have such a deep story behind him. He's the Alicorn's messenger? Normally the little exposition fairy thing is just a plot device...except in Rainboom Unleashed, that was actually pretty cool.

That time travel quest sure dragged on, but we got to help our past incarnation and ... Now our past incarnation is helping us in the present?! But she take a blow meant for the guy who was trying to beat the monsters all on his own ...This gets him to see a hero's first duty is to protect the innocent, not just go beat up monsters, and his magic sword awakens. I'm...I'm not crying. Mom was though.

I don't...I don't feel like it's all hopeless like I did with Dark Spirits...not at all...

Last of the evil spirits spawned by the hydra are history, and I now have all the Elements and all the magics of all the pony tribes!

Time to say goodbye? Joined up just to learn the special powers? Okay the breezoe said that at the start but...onto the big ship to face the final boss. He wants to come along after all? He can't enter because he spent his life running away from his responsibilities?

All alone now.

A typical boss rush.

Final boss.

A solar eclipse? He takes away the Elements and our tribes magic?!

Get them back one by one!

Go through all final boss forms, typical!

The spirits of the ponies who died are here to help too!

Beat'em!

Victory whinnie! Yeah that's the-

He was playing possum?! The magic of the different tribes, the Elements, this time he didn't take them, he DESTROYED them!!! The world turns black.

Our Breezie companion...he going about below telling everypony about us!

"We shouldn't pray just when we WANT something! We should stop and think how the gods themselves feel sometimes!" He's telling them.

Everypony is praying, and we shine with a bright light and… that's the form of our old incarnation, that's the Celestia everypony knows! The Elements and our magics are restored!

The symbol for 'God' flashes on the screen.

The world is all pitch black again. He's invincible. Is this another pointless ending? A hopeless fight right at the end?

What's been the entire point of this game? What message has it's been trying to say this whole time?

Even when those ponies died, their loved ones kept going, not because they were forgotten, they fought all the harder because of them . . .

The...sun...will...rise!

I cue the sun, and he's not so invincible now is he? En garde!

Take that! And that and that and that!

We did it! I did it! The final boss goes all sparky and implodes! It...it was fun.

We get to say goodbye, and it's off to the heavens to restore them to their former glory. And it was being recounted by our breezie companion all along? That's cool.

Nice song at the end too. The imps are now just partying? Guess they're not so bad without their bad boss around maybe. Ah who cares, it's the ending, let's all have fun!

I... I did enjoy it. The graphics weren't super realistic. The battles weren't super hard. There was no voice acting. But...it was wonderful.

I got to experience the story. I...I'm happy. It doesn't matter how many others are out there playing the game, it doesn't matter if we all end up in the same place at the end, it doesn't matter if the game ends eventually, it was a great story, and I loved being able to move it along.

"OH MY CELEST!"

"What is it dear?"

"I haven't spoken to my neighbors in Animal Town in forever! I hope they're still my friends! I might have to write them all apology letters! What color hats does Kittenrina like? I can offer her one as an apology gift!"

Mom laughed.

"It's not funny!"

Mom hugged me. "No dear...it's just...it's wonderful to have you back!"

--

I had my son back to normal. And I never dreamed I'd be so happy to see him wasting his foalhood away on video games. He's a child, he has a RIGHT to. Little ones shouldn't need to worry about things like when they're going to die.

Foals should get to enjoy their innocence while it lasts...and despite what a lot of other adults say, they don't need to lose all of it as they grow. I think the fact that if I didn't believe in keeping a little bit of your foalhood alive, would I still know Humgonian, or be married to a game designer?

Author's Note

Button Mash and the day of Discord.

P.S. I AM NOT trying to bash games here. There are games that are there for the challenge and there are players who LOVE that sort of thing, don't stop enjoying what you love. This is meant to be about story telling and how such stories came across to me, not to anyone else. I apologize for anything that came across as insulting. And remember Button Mash is a CHILD experiencing these sorts of stories and was being Discorded through the whole thing. And some stories AREN'T meant for CHILDREN. (I appreciate the mystery and open to interpretation style that a certain game uses and I admire it.) Again, nothing here is MEANT to be insulting and I apologize if it did.

Level 2

My Little Pony
Pony POV Series
"Button Mash"
Level 2 of 2
By Alex Warlorn

Okay. NOW can I have the game? Are you ever going to be satisfied? Just some more? Promise? Okay.

What was it like when we moved to Ponyville and after I was me again? I told you about Lickety-Split.

Well.... let's see.

"Hi! We're the Cutie Mark Crusaders!"

"We're on a quest to find out who we really are! I'm Scootaloo!"

"I'm Sweetie Belle!"

"And Ah'm Applebloom. Wanna join?"

"Well of course you do. You don't have a cutie mark, we don't, we can help each other find our special talents!"

"I...don't really care about that sort of thing."

"Care about what?"

"Getting my cutie mark."

"WHAT?!"

"What's more important than getting yer cutie mark?!"

"Girls I...I feel faint...ow! How come that works when big sister does it?"

Oh right, and back when we first moved to town...

"Hey! I haven't seen you around here and if I haven't seen you around before, that means you're new in town! And if you're new in town that means you need somepony to welcome you!"

"Um...thank you."

"Just smile and nod son, just smile and nod. Don't make direct eye contact." The pink pony looked like, well, me whenever I went on a gameplay binge and didn't sleep for a few days.

"I'm Pinkie Pie, but you can call me Pinkie." She was carrying a TON of party supplies.

"I'm...I'm Maternity Love-Tap."

"Oh! Let me get my welcome wagon! I have a song!"

And then we got covered in cake batter after a song, Miss Pie said she put it in the confetti cannon.

Then she invited us to some big party celebrating her defeating big glitch monster Discord, but mom was too freaked out. She wouldn't let me go to Sugarcube Corner for awhile.

Until Miss Pie threw us a 'Welcome to Ponyvile'/'I'm Sorry I Freaked You Out' party a week or two later.

She gave us the invites holding a white flag.

"I was... not dealing with what meanie-pants Discord did to me the right way, I hope we can still be friends. Let's try this again: I'm Pinkamina Diane Pie, but you can call me Pinkie Pie, it's nice to meet you."

Mom smiled and shook her hoof. After that I could go to Sugarcube Corner. So long as I don't eat too many sweets.

And I think mom met this nice mare and her nephew at the party because...

"Oh hello, you must be Featherweight, your Aunt Mayflower told me all about you. Yes we would like to buy some foalscoot cookies. Would you like to come inside? No? Alright. Don't be scared. Button Mash dear! Please come outside."

"Busy!"

"Come now, or I'll cut off the power to your bed room."

"Coming!"

We ate cookies for a bit. Featherweight was okay, he never said a word. I liked that. He never got anywhere near the front door, so I had to stay outside the whole time. He always shuddered when whenever I played big tailed shapely mares in my fighting game. I guess he must be scared of girls or something. I tried to explain how breeding works in Ponymon but he just trotted back looking scared. His Aunt Mayflower must be one of those grown-up who doesn't like watching cute little monsters fight each other.

I stayed outside until the batteries ran down on my gamecolt.

I...I actually really did try to makes friends with Rumble. No joke. Mom said I needed to be more proactive. And that I'd have more fun with ponies who'd play my games with me. I guess that made sense, and there a lot of co-op games that DIDN'T increase the challenge when you had two players. And there are a few games that have unique stuff you need more players for, that could be fun.

Mom told me not to bring my gamecolt, and to at least try.

But well...

"That show-off Rainbow Dash isn't the only pony in Ponyville who's gonna be a Wonderbolt! Just you watch! My big brother Thunderlane is gonna join the Wonderbolts too! All anypony looks at is Rainbow Dash, but she's not the only weather pony in Ponyville. Big brother is a super cool flier, he's fast, strong, brave, and he's willing to tough it out no matter what! Me and my brother went to the fair once. The gypsy said me and my brother were giant robots in a former life, isn't that just crazy? But I'm gonna be in the Wonderbolts too! Just like my big brother is gonna be! Isn't that cool?"

"So...do you like video games?"

"Video games? Ponies who play those are potatoes who have no life! So wanna help me practice my flying? Did I tell you about my big brother?"

I felt faint.

"Uh...I need to go..."

And after that...I thought maybe one player mode maybe wasn't so bad.

"Avast there! I mean, hello, my name is Pipsqueak."

"Uh-huh, I'm Button Mash." I didn't look up from my game.

"I've noticed you don't seem to have many friends."

"Nope."

"And you recently moved to Ponyville?"

"Yep."

"So did my family from Trottingham."

"Okay."

"So would you like to be friends?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Do you think video games are stupid?"

"Uh, no not really. But my mom and dad are always saying that imagination is the best toy of all."

"Uh, okay."

"I have a lot of other friends too, okay they're all fillies, but they're fun once you get to know them."

"Uh, huh."

"So uh, see you after school some time?"

"Uh, huh."

It wasn't that I didn't like him, it was more I'm not really into physical stuff. I'm all for using my imagination, I play lots of building games! But I just don't like...physical stuff, except some video games that are kinda virtual reality.

That night I remember I had a really strange dream.

"Button Mash! Thou hath scorned the hoof of friendship offered thou by noble Sir Pipsqueak! Thy self-centeredness will be stood by no-"

"Wow! Nightmare Moon! Secret hidden boss! Equip UltraExcalibur+++! Equip Armor of InvincibilityZero! Select Skill 'Piercer Of Heaven' Level Star!"

"What?! Wait! WAIT!"

-One Round Later-

"Yes! Press-Turn!"

"Oh no!"

"Luna, are you well? You look...battered. Did rogue dragons try to claim territory along Equestria's border?"

"We do not wish to discuss it! And I want a Royal Decree within the hour banning my image as a 'boss' enemy within 'vid-te-oh' games!"

"Luna we can't go dictating what ponies use to entertain themselves, and-"

"I don't care! My image has been soiled!"

"You know Ponyvania recently had you as a protagonist in one of the games as yourself after having you as a boss in previous ones as Nightmare Moon...Your first heroic game appearance wouldn't make sense without the previous games."

"Grrrrrr."

We shall admit. We have calmed down considerably since then. It helps that ponies seemed to enjoy that entry and playing as us... The reboot in fact made us a tragic hero...with our sister as a deluded holier-than-thou…

At least the Ponymon based off us and Celestia are well designed...and I got two, even if one is based on Nightmare Moon.

So me making friends hasn't really worked out so well.

But Ponyville did get this nice outdoor video arcade.

I was on this game's final boss, out of bits, when one of them came up behind me singing, (I think was the unicorn one, Sweetie Belle?), "This one's too young." I got distracted, and I died!

That was when I realized I still had one bit with me...back into the fray!

Do I love my parents? HUH?!

....

Yes I do! I really love mom and I really love dad! Why wouldn't I love them? How can you ask something like that? It feels...weird. You asked that already remember?

I know my mom's special talent is taking care of foals, but I'm her son, I know I'm special for her! She takes care of me while I'm sick, and she always looks after me. And...the glitch monster liked hurting ponies with what they loved right? That's what the man in the office said...if he made mom hurt me like he did, doesn't that mean she has to love me a lot?

See? Ha!

Dad works really hard, and even if he's not at home a lot, I know he's doing great things. Why? Because he said so. That's why.

'That just shows they love me? How do I love them?' ...

Because...because I do...because when she gets sick I feel bad...I tried making her breakfast in bed once but...cooking games aren't like actual cooking...But she still liked it...I...I do kinda wish I saw dad more, does that count? It does? Do I worry about him when he leaves on the train?...A bit...That's good? I'm supposed to fear for my family a little?

You're weird.

Did I ever play MagiShock? Well...after Dark Spirits I don't really play games my mom tells me not to...But I did play that before...before then...

Did I Absorb Or Rescue the Little Fillies? What kind of question is that?! Of course I Rescue them! Every time! I've never even SEEN what happens if you chose the Absorb option!

I never steal from stores in games that let you. And ...even in Dark Spirits? I never killed the NPCs just to get their stuff and I actually gave back the Flame Holder's spirit after it was stolen. And...though it really left me at a disadvantage, I ended up giving all my Ponyhood to that boss' little sister so she could get better.

Huh? Do I do it because it's the right thing to do or because it was easier or because I feared the rules would punish me? What kinda question is that? Dark Spirits woulda been a lot of easier if I'd killed the NPCs...I think. That game didn't have an easy setting. But I don't think the game had any punishment system anyway, the game was already really, really hard!

Was I afraid mom would be upset if I did the mean choices? She doesn't watch over my shoulder when I play unless I ask her to. Why would I worry about that?

'Character is what you are in the dark?' I don't get it. Oh 'if you do good things even when nopony is looking, it means I'm really a good pony'?...Thanks I guess... Still, it's just a game.

Huh? Yeah...I guess I did really like it when that nice game had you earn experience helping ponies and restoring the environment instead of killing things. Legend of Cadence: Shadow Queen's Mask? Yeah I played it...it took be like five weeks but I managed to help everypony on the last cycle when I didn't really need to...

Be nice with real ponies? I...I promise I did try. Maybe a little bit more than before. It's just...nothing is confusing in games. Everything has rules. You can trust in things. And...I'm just a colt, I'm...not very strong in real life...I've told on a bully I saw before, but I was too scared to let anypony know it was me but the teacher...If I had the power to help?...I...I think I would...Yeah, I would...

There was also ...that day...that really surprising day...I didn't really get what was going on at the time but…okay, I'll admit it was really fun too, at first.

It was just another day...Except I wasn't at school. You see, the paper work for me hadn't come in yet since we'd moved in such a hurry. Miss Cheerilee sent a note saying I should really come to class anyway since it would be a chance to get to know my fellow students, and that she had a special field trip in mind today. She said it was a surprise. That sounded kinda cool! But dad was home too! And mom said that our family being together was more important, since dad really needed us right now.

"And your father REALLY needs you Button."

"Me?"

"Yes, you got past what happened to you. You need to show him that he can too."

I...I never thought about it that way before. "O-okay." I really wanted to see what that special field trip was, but mom said I could help dad. I could ask the other foals what it was later.

I showed dad that I wasn't worried that the sky was fake anymore, and that I was happy to play my games again. Though I kept seeing him flinch every time I stomped on a monster, or a village got destroyed as part of the game's story. I guess it was hard. I thought about the monsters before but-

"Dad, remember, they're part of an invading army, out to enslave the peaceful Fungus People, the hero is doing a GOOD THING by fighting back!"

And that was why I wanted Button Mash to show my husband his own recovery. While Gaffer knew tabletop games too, Button Mash could speak entirely in the language of somepony who loved computer games.

Dad's eyes widened, and he smiled a little. And he actually sat down, and picked up player two's controller. Mom joined in too.

I didn't even notice when the fog rolled into our house. I didn't even notice when mom and dad became foals, but their reaction time did get a lot better which made things harder for me.

We were playing Ponario Brothers Racers, so I didn't notice when Super Smash Ponies, and my Vs Coltcom fighting games all vanished into fog, along with any other games that had pictures with big guns, ponies hitting each other, or explosions...which kinda left only the cooking games, and Animal Town.

Then the blue shell stopped appearing. The heck?

That was when the big yellow pony with wings and horn appeared out of the fog on the floor, and I noticed mom and dad were foals, and they paused the game and BOWED to the big princess pony that appeared in our living room.

"Hello Mama Princess Gaia!" My parents said together.

"Mama Princess Gaia?" I repeated confused at the big super mare, for once, I wasn't thinking about how somepony was blocking the machine.

"Yes my little foal, I am Princess Gaia...You were not at school for Dame Cheerilee to deliver you to your personal paradise. But it's all the same, because I've realized that it's better for foals to have fun with each other...but I sense you're confused, and unsure...why won't you let my love take you?"

I've played a bajillion games...and anypony who says anything like this, always turns out to be the bad guy!

With the big pony in the room, it took my brain a bit to catch up to mom and dad being foals.

"You're why mom and dad are uh, smaller?"

"Of course we are bro!" Mom hugged me.

"Bro'?! Mom what do ya mean?! Mom! Why are you a kid?!"

"Because foals are when ponies do have, or should have had the most happy times in their lives of course. And I only wish everypony to be happy." Princess Gaia smiled.

"Mama Princess Gaia only wants what's best bro'!" Dad hugged me too.

"Dad! What's wrong with ya?"

Mom said, "Not dad anymore Button! Or Mom! Mama Princess Gaia is our parent now. We don't have to worry about anything. We can just play video games forever together."

Okay, now that did some super-ultra cool, but mom and dad were acting WEIRD, shouldn't they be acting more confused like me about being foals?

"Mom, I've never heard of Princess Gaia before today."

"MAMA Princess Gaia Button." Mom smiled. "And that's okay, I didn't either, but all of Equestria will by the end of the day! And everypony will be happy forever! All our pain and worries are gone!"

"Mom, dad, are you feeling okay?"

"We're better than fine, and PLEASE stop calling us that, you're making us feel old." Dad laughed and mom giggled.

I finally noticed their cutie marks were now crayon drawings. That wasn't normal. Didn't cutie marks only change if the pony really change? Like if they'd gone crazy?

I'd seen this happen in games too. "Heeeeeey! What a minute! You guys are under mind control!"

"Of course we are silly!" Mom giggled again. "We've gone from being boring adults to fun loving kids again, of COURSE we're under mind control!"

"But brainwashing is bad!" I remembered what I'd been told in school and my games.

"Only if bad ponies do it," Princess Gaia said. "I'm washing away all the hurt, pain, and suffering, hate, prejudice, greed, cruelty, and selfishness of the world...it's not bad to wash dirt off plates is it? You wouldn't want to eat off dirty plate would you little foal?"

"Uh...what was the question?"

"The question is, 'do you want to be happy?' And of course you do."

"Uh, why are so many of my games gone?"

"Because they were BAD GAMES! Bad! And we can't have bad things in paradise can we? Of course we can't. Don't worry little foal. Mama Princess Gaia will look after you from now on."

"But those games make me happy!"

"But not the right kind of happy. Like icky things your mom and dad protected you from. And now I'll protect you from other icky things. Now hold still." Mom and dad grabbed me. I squirmed and Princess Gaia touched her horn to my head and...I didn't mind or care about anything. But not like when I was sad after playing Dark Spirits. Instead I was super-duper infinitely happy. Everything was awesome!

Why would I EVER WANT to play video games that were icky and violent? They were ALL AS BAD as Dark Spirits! Every one! I'm happy Mama Princess Gaia brainwashed me along with my new brother and sister! We laughed and went back to playing video games, the games themselves becoming even more happy and friendly as Mama Princess Gaia's magic worked into them.

It was the right thing to do, because Mama Princess Gaia was doing it of course.

We didn't notice or care how much time past. But Mama Princess Gaia was saying that we should now go out and play with the other foals...when she suddenly seemed distracted and vanished, but we had a little message in our heads telling us everything was fine and not to worry, so we kept playing games.

Then the fog rolled away, and we suddenly felt alone and confused. And I felt something ugly, black, and small but familiar and a part of me, crawl inside me. And I wasn't brainwashed anymore. Neither were mom and dad...and they weren't foals anymore. And my video games were all back and back to normal.

Mom hugged me gently. "Button, sorry for... for holding you while that witch-"

"Don't worry about it mom. Don't worry." We didn't feel bad or hurt like when the glitch monster did it... it was like a dream.

I know she made me not like some of my favorite games, and now that I think about it, I don't like that at all, but . . . I don't hate 'er or it.

I know that doesn't really make sense but . . . At least we didn't do anything BAD, and we found out the real story soon enough. At least I didn't blow-up my games like somepony did to that place mom told me never to go into.

We learned that the same evil spirits that got Princess Luna, got Miss Fluttershy, The Element of Kindness, and turned her into a evil monster called Nightmare Whisper that Princess Gaia was just a farce of (I KNEW IT!). Apparently the 'day as foals' thing was supposed to happen in a way that ponies had a choice, and it was to help ponies the glitch thing hurt, but then the evil spirits got her instead. They also said Princess Celestia let it happen because she was jealous, but I think that part was just made up.

Or that's what I think the news papers said, I don't really read them, it was mostly what I overheard mom and dad talk about. We also played together some co-op Metal Alicorn later, it's this science fiction shooter with lots of stuff blowing up. What? I didn't say I AGREED with what she said about video games! I was brainwashed then.

Since a lot of ponies had been helped anyway who had been hurt by the glitch thingie, Princess Celestia wanted to have a festival in honor of Miss Fluttershy, IN PONYVILLE!

Did we go to the Festival?...A little...I saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders' play, but it was only worth seeing once. The plot was a little predictable. But I didn't even get to see the ending cause Mom pulled me away just as they were getting to the part with the cyclops (that part looked like it was gonna be cool). The weird part was seeing the silver filly in the front row watching. Even I knew they didn't get along.

We also saw that magic show with the blue unicorn. After seeing all the fancy effects in video games, it was a little boring, but mom and dad loved it. I was the one who didn't want to stick around for the whole thing. I was surprised at ponies who looked just like her in the audience, she filled her audience with illusion clones?

I did get a few bites out of ice-cream mountain.

Then Miss Fluttershy made her big speech about being sorry, but hey, she was under mind control, she shouldn't be so sorry about it, these things happened. She didn't have anything to feel guilty about, but grown-ups really seem to LIKE feeling guilty about stuff...then...somepony hit her with a rock. At least I know it wasn't mom or dad.

I still wanna know how she did that duet by herself, she must have had a friend singing with her I couldn't see.

Dad? You won't believe it but...

"Miss Fluttershy, I just want to say that...your Day of Innocence? I'm sorry those nightmare spirits took you over and tried to conquer Equestria with it but...I just want you to know that for me, it worked. I was able to let go of what happened, and can finally begin my work again. Thank you."

Miss Fluttershy began crying after that, I don't know why. The zebra (yes I know what that is, video games, though I was surprised they were real) thanked dad for her and helped Miss Fluttershy along. Oh! And I saw her kick this mean pony's flank that tried to hurt Miss Fluttershy! that was cool!

I think dad joined this news-letter for fans of hers or something. Mom also told her 'thank you' too, I mean, she DID HELP dad after all even if those bad monsters tried to make her Foals' Day bad.

And it was weird, after that Silver Spoon told me some crazy story about time travel... ironic? How's that ironic?

You want to hear MY point of view of some of the big events in Ponyville? Okay! Sure!

You were expecting 'but I'm not anypony special?' Don't be silly, my mom tells me that I'm special in my own way every day! Huh? Oh, you're pleasantly surprised? That's cool.

The foals at school told me I had missed out on what the newspapers called 'Lesson Zero' where some of the glitch monster's left over madness (because he went extra evil on her) made the Element of Magic, and Princess Celestia's apprentice, Twilight Sparkle make all of Ponyville fight over a doll until Princess Celestia showed up to fix things. She swore Twilight was now cured and it wouldn't happen again. Lots of the grown-ups seemed EXTRA worried about Miss Twilight for some reason.

There was Nightmare Night, I dressed as one of the Super Ponario Brothers, and mom had me finish extra early, before it was even super dark, which was fine by me. I liked playing scary games on Nightmare Night...then Nightmare Moon showed up in person!

Mom didn't let me go outside! Finally Nightmare Moon, I mean Princess Luna, promised she wasn't here to eat foals, and just have fun with everypony else...or something, point was, foals didn't seem freaked out by her later. And she looked at me weird.

The Sisterhood Social? Do I look like a filly to you? Next!

I was actually SICK in bed the day Applebloom came to school with the cutie pox. Okay, I know what happened to her was bad and could have been worse (my mom says so). But it was her own fault, those who use cheat codes in a competitive games (like life) get what they deserve.

Mare-Do-Well? Thankfully we avoided all those crazy accidents that happened. So I didn't get caught up in the craze much. I'll admit I didn't guess that Mare-Do-Well was four ponies! I did buy her first video game though when it came on the market. Or dad did.

The time the giant dragon tore through Ponyville?...Mom decided it was safer OUTSIDE, since the dragon was ripping houses open and taking stuff. Thankfully our house wasn't one of the places the dragon tore open.

Hearth Warming Eve?...Yes we saw the play, like we do every year in Canterlot, dad works there remember? I just want to stay home and play games, but my parents never let me. Miss Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and their friends acting the parts was a surprise for me and actually made it a little less boring and preachy. I know friends are better than enemies, but you can only listen to that message so many times before it gets boring! But the special effects on the Windigos are AWESOME!

That was also when I think Moonlight moved to Ponyville. Is she home schooled? I don't see her in class.

Family Appreciation Day? I was FINALLY allowed to talk about my dad's cool video arcade and all the games he designs and makes too! Everypony had to pay attention to what my dad said whether they liked it or not, bwahahahah! But Miss Cheerilee cut him off before he finished explaining the finer details, she said she had to leave room for the other students. Oh well, I hope dad gets some new orders.

We were new in town, so the Town Hall being ruined didn't freaked us out as much as everypony else. And Miss Applejack being sent to bring home the gold and coming back with a bunch of second place trophies and ribbons, and not the tons of prize money to get the Town Hall fixed up, again didn't made us as sorry. But I knew how she felt. Coming in second place can be worse than coming in last! Believe it.

Mom didn't care much about cider, so everypony being at Sweet Apple Acres farm just meant more peace and quiet for us.

"All the ponies in this town are crazy," Mom mumbled to herself once when she thought I wasn't listening. But we stayed anyway. I think mom liked being closer to where dad worked.

Daring Do books? Naw. Sorry, not my thing. But I have played a few of the game adaptations, do they count? I think a few of them have some unique plots to them.

The reign of Diamond Tiara as editor-in-chief of the Foal Free Press? It's funny, I'm a blank flank, but she never seemed to bother teasing me, except that time I told her about going to the moon. All the other times, she and Silver Spoon just ignored me. I was almost a bit upset that everypony was getting their picture and a story in the Foal Free Press except me. Almost made me feel that I wasn't interesting or important enough to tease or make fun of. I know Gabby Gums was really sorry after and Diamond Tiara was bumped off of being Editor, but it felt surreal to me, like some freaky carnival that was happened around me. But mom did begin to close the shutters and pull closed the drapes when the big stories began appearing in the paper. I was busy saving Princess Cadence again (the video game one).

Hearts and Hooves Day? I heard a house that got moved by the power of love (why not?). I did make a card for mom and dad. I saw the giant one made for Miss Cheeilee by the Crusaders. No I don't have a filly friend, why?

There was the day we saw the donkey Mr. Cranky Doodle moved to town, Miss Pinkie was a lot more...I guess, uh…quieter with him than when she greeted us?

Mom, came home angry one day, VERY angry. She had a black eye. She said she had gotten into an argument at the Supermarket with a pony who had taken this 'self confidence class', and they had punched her in the face! Yeah, mom was MAD. Apparently Nurse RedHeart had a lot of patients for things like that, that day. Mom got an apology note and a muffin a few days later.

Mom said she'd give the teacher a piece of her mind, but when she came back said he wasn't a bad guy.

Later, Uncle Gizmo, I mean Poindexster told dad he had a new idea for a dating game.

There was that time Cerberus came through town and there was this big big epic battle between the Elements of Harmony and all the monsters that had escaped Tartarus...uh...I think might have actually just DREAMED that one, sorry.

Mom insisted we watch the Great Dragon Migration...it only happened every 100 year she said. Okay...that many dragons flying through the sky...that was super cool. Only the Elements of Harmony actually got super close though.

I thought about Twilight Sparkle's dragon ... he didn't have wings...neither did that giant dragon that tore through town...But I didn't see any dragons on the ground marching along the dragons in the air, or big wingless dragons being carried by the flying ones...maybe Twilight's dragon would grow wings when he got older? Made sense.

Being Earth Ponies we didn't have much to do with "Hurricane Fluttershy" (newspapers do come up with clever names for stuff), but we sure SAW IT from the town. How it fell apart once, and then put together again to work this time. That was pretty epic!

Canterlot's Cake Competition meant one thing for us...dad brought home some of the cake from the show.

Then...oh yeah...that.

The bug ponies.

I'm told we're really lucky they didn't use any of their evil mind control magic in Ponyville. Instead they just used official documents and stuff. Saying that everypony who could work, had to work, to make this big magic symbol in the ground that was going to make sure the bug ponies didn't come back.

I remember seeing the big magic shell around Canterlot, and lots of guards being tossed out, and official ponies form Canterlot saying how those were actually evil bug ponies who had infiltrated the guard and had impersonated Princess Luna and they were on their way back to cause more trouble.

Everypony pitched in. It was to protect Equestria and Ponyville after all. For once I actually WANTED to help. And I actually did help dig a little of the rune, for a few minutes before I went back to playing my gamecolt, apparently Mom covered for me and she did my quota too. Naw, we weren't treated like slaves, or acted like robots, we doing it as a community project the Canterlot ponies were telling us had to be done super fast. That was all. Though a lot of 'em were jerks about it.

Mom was happy that dad happened to be visiting when it happened.

Tootsie Flute was REALLY scared and worried since her family was in Canterlot, but Alula was willing to give her a shoulder to lean on. What a nice girl. They're friends now.

Silver Spoon's mom? Sorry, I don't pay THAT much attention to grown-ups.

Dad said the shield reminded him of Uncle Shining's shield. Huh? Shining Armor is dad's old friend! Yeah, we didn't talk much about him for awhile, but I still remember him...sorta. He's in pictures and dad says that O&O arcade game was based off him and I kinda remember him visiting sometimes when I was REALLY little. Oh! And dad said 'If you ever play co-op with him, never let him have a long ranged weapon.'

Dad was upset that Shining Armor never sent him an invite to his wedding and got thrown out when dad tried to get an answer, and that was why he was in Ponyville.

Then it turned out the bug ponies were the ones wanting the rune made, and it was the real guards who got thrown out and Uncle Shining was under mind control so that was why dad didn't get an invite, and then dad DID get an invite after Princess Cadence beat the evil queen and became the bug pony's new queen and so they were all nice now.

Hey, everypony knows the bad kingdom stops being bad as soon as you beat the evil ruler, right? That's how it works in games...

Dad attended the real wedding...us well...we kinda did...but there were so many new guest we ended up with seats OUTSIDE and had to look through the windows...Along with this REALLY big lemon monster, though that was kinda cool. I guess I do say that a lot.

You should have seen all the freaky cats! Blech! They wouldn't stop hugging me!

They wouldn't stop hugging mom either, but she nicely asked them for a ball of yarn, they gave her one from somewhere, and she threw it and they chased after it.

When I told them I liked video games they invited us to come go sky diving through giant spinning brightly colored floating rings! I don't know if mom will let us go yet though.

I did get to meet Uncle Shining though. It took him a few minutes to remember me, I don't blame him, I was REALLY little...I think... and it took me a while to remember him too...I was surprised how much he knew about video games though! And how much he looks like the hero in Legend of Cadence...Hey, wait, I remember him when dad talked about him before, but why didn't I remember remembering that until then? I won't worry about it.

Whew! Can I finally have the game now please? Thanks! So...is this going in the newspaper or something? No? Well, it's just weird to ask all these questions. It's going to help ponies who the glitch monster hurt? Still? Okay. I'm happy I got to help! Maybe I can't slay dragons in real life, but I'm still happy I can be a little hero sometimes.

A way I can help a lot? How?

Pony Quest? And Dragon Knight? Games like those? I should tell anypony who's willing to listen how stories in those games work? That's really odd. It's important and it will help a lot of ponies? But you can't tell me why? No fair! I'll know after I finish my own game? What's that mean? Part of what I'm supposed to figure out?

Geeze. You could be a mysterious mentor character in a game yourself. Those games always have enigmatic characters who help and guide the heroes for mysterious reasons. Thanks for the tip? Uh, you're welcome?

Thanks for the new game. It looks brand new. I'm sure I'll enjoy it. I promise I'll remember about telling lots of ponies about how stories in Role Playing Games go. The most important thing to tell them is that the heroes always have a chance, and it's never completely hopeless? Okay, I'll try. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.

Huh? Maybe I should talk to Lickity-Split and Pipsquek, why? Oh, maybe their ideas could help dad make cool video games? That actually sounds cool... O-Celest had a bunch of stuff in it based on things Celestia seemed to do, so maybe another game like that would work too! Featherweight? Give me a break, I'm new at this whole 'real friends' thing!

Yeah, I guess going back on what the old legends ACTUALLY say would be a cool idea for a game. Oh! And a lot of the monsters Lickity-Split talked about could be awesome bosses! Thanks! And...maybe I could make friends with them...

-

Thank you for sharing my son's thoughts with me. It's helped me let go of what happened to me. I should have known my son would be able to say exactly why I do love him, and I'm not just going through the motions.

'Love is not selfish, love is patient, love is kind, love isn't easily angered, love doesn't keep a record of wrongs, love doesn't delight in the suffering of others, love protects, love trusts, love hopes, love endures.'

That is the one poem, in my entire life, that all of my family has understood.

I just want to say, thank you for talking with my son. I have nothing wrong with what he loves anymore than my husband, but I'll be happy to see him finally make some REAL friends, and not ones that are just illusionary 1s and 0s. I've heard of stallions in Neighpon that have actually MARRIED mares that are just characters in a game. The last thing I want is to see my son becomes one of those. At least unless somehow the power of love brings them to actual life...weirder things have happened. I want him to share what he's seen and learned with the world, not just bottle himself up. Thank you for encouraging him to talk and try to make friends again.

I just hope I don't have to go through this much trouble when I try to find him a fillyfriend. Don't worry! I'm not going to play match-maker YET, he's just a foal, and I'm perfectly happy with him being one for now. I'll be happy to wait for when he grows into a great stallion I'll be even more proud of than I am of him right now, myself and my husband. He's our little pony.

~Fin

Author's Note

Pony POV Series Button Mash
Level 2 of 2
By Alex Warlorn

And here's the second half of Button Mash's story in the Pony POV Universe. Including Button Mash's view on the day of Princess Gaia! There are still some surprises to see and find. And Button Mash's role in the story isn't over yet.

Previous: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/art/Pony-POV-Series-Button-Mash-Level-1-of-2-481514466

Next Chapter: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/art/Pony-POV-Series-Finale-Part-1-Let-Us-Begin-482742233

First Chapter: http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/art/Pony-POV-Series-Fluttershy-FlutterCruel-Pearls-260092460

Trope page: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PonyPOVSeries (SERIOUSLY need to be kept up to date, every little bit helps!).

My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic And All Related Characters Copyright Of Hasbro

PLEASE check out the ton of recursive fanfics of this fanfiction series. A lot of heart went into them! They also answer a lot of unaswered questions. http://mlp-pony-pov-series.deviantart.com/ For heaven sake they rock! Kendell2 and Oracle Mask and Richforce and Ardashir and Jawmax and Persona22 and Dragon of Twilight and ItsFromPeople and all the rest!!! Please?

Cover art by digiteku http://digiteku.deviantart.com/art/Galaxy-Button-Mash-464676664