//------------------------------// // Warning Signs // Story: Innocence, Equestria // by Quantum Trip //------------------------------// Button Mash arrived home to find almost everything had been put in order. "Your Neightendo is working now," his mother told him, with a sigh. She sat in her chair, reading from a romance novel. "Mom, is everything okay?" asked Button. "Hmm? Oh, it is. It's just... you know not to gossip, son, right?" asked Love Tap, setting her book down. "Sure, Mom. You can tell me anything." Button Mash walked up to his Mom and sat beside her on the couch. Love Tap nodded. "It's probably nothing, but... you know your new friend, Softhoof?" "Yeah, he's a neat little kid. He's not in trouble or anything?" "No, nothing like that. I met with his parents today, and tomorrow around noon there will be a private lunch just with the other parents. Upendo will sit for two of the babies, and the rest of you will be under Role Reversal's watch," she said, shifting her hips against the couch. "I'm more than a little curious about what the lunch will entail. They want me to bring a photograph of you for some reason, but I suppose I'll take the entire album with me." "That's... weird. But what about Softhoof?" "Oh, right. Well, Softhoof's parents are surprisingly, how should I put this... 'hooves-off' when handling their own son." "What does that mean?" asked Button, cocking his head to one side. "I'm not exactly an air-balloon parent, but when you were Softhoof's age I wouldn't let you out of my sight. A six year-old can get into a lot of mischief," she said. "I'm surprised they're comfortable letting him run around unattended when the parents don't know the other children very well." "Oh, I met the other children! They're really cool," said Button Mash. "Softhoof is totally safe hanging with them." "Well, that's fine then, but it goes a little beyond that. They let him set his own bedtime, and don't have many boundaries for him. That may make it difficult to discipline him in the future," she said. "The strange thing is that they said they learned to be more 'carefree' parents by spending time with Upendo. And... well..." Love Tap blushed and turned her head away. "What is it?" asked Button Mash, leaning forwards. "They seem to think it's fine for Softhoof to learn about 'the birds and the bees'... by watching. Watching them, I mean," she said. "It's never happened, but they said they might let him watch in the future. Doesn't that sound odd?" "Eww, gross! Uh, yeah it's odd! Watching your parents do it is like, no offense Mom, but it would turn me off that kind of thing forever," said Button. "If I wasn't already turned off forever, I mean." Love Tap chuckled. "Well, it's not common in Ponyville, that's for certain. Again, they said spending time with Upendo 'opened them to new experiences'. I'm a little concerned that they'll try to 'open' me to new experiences, too," she said. "It's probably a silly thing to worry about, though. We all learn to accept who we are within time, and you will too one day. It's not something I should push you toward." Button grimaced. "Actually... the other kids here are kinda open about that sorta thing too. Not like, doing it or anything, but kissing and stuff." "Well, it seems we have a bit of culture shock to get used to. But as long as they don't try to control how I raise you, and they keep their children safe, we shouldn't have any problems," said Love Tap. "Just remember that sometimes ponies have different opinions, and even if they feel confident about them, that doesn't make them any better than your opinions." "Well, duh. You don't have to worry about me, Mom," said Button, "I always stand up for myself, you know that. I'm sure everything will be fine." Button's mom hugged him with her forelegs, which felt remarkably nice. It was a hug with no expectations, no gross implications, nothing like kissing Softhoof was—which he planned never to tell her about. I'll always feel safe in your legs, Mom. After Button's mom left for the meeting, he cantered over to the treehouse. It looked empty, so he went to the playground next. Role Reversal and Softhoof were there chatting. Softhoof was wearing a small set of saddlebags. "Hay guys!" Button called out, running over to them. "Where is everypony else?" "They're at the meeting with the adults," said Role. "I'm about to join them, now that you're here to watch over the squirt here. If anything happens, like timberwolves or something, come get us in the main building, okay?" "T-timberwolves?" said Softhoof. "Don't worry, scamp," added Role, "they won't come into town. Upendo uses some kind of wolfsbane to keep them at bay around the perimeter. I'm just foolin' with you." "Why aren't we coming too?" asked Button Mash. Role Reversal looked left and right, then leaned in as though sharing a secret. "It's a surprise," she said. "We have a special party planned tomorrow just for the two of you, since you're new kids. So we gotta prepare. But don't tell anypony I gave you the heads-up." She winked at the colts. "Awesome!" shouted Softhoof, who then immediately covered his muzzle. "I mean, awesome," he whispered. Button Mash laughed. "Yeah, it sounds like fun. I can manage him fine, go on to the meeting." Role Reversal nodded and trotted off. Button turned toward Softhoof and noticed he still had the lipstick on. Softhoof reached over and pulled the lipstick tube out of his saddlebags, and applied a fresh coat to his lips. "You're still wearing the lipstick?" asked Button Mash. "Lip balm," corrected Softhoof. "And it's great! My lips always used to be chapped, but this makes them smooth, and it feels really nice, and it smells like cherries." Button leaned in a little and sniffed. It smelled almost like cherries, but it was distinctly different. It was closer to the smell of clouds and rainbows mixed together. "Huh. Well, I guess it's okay, but it does look just a little like lipstick. Didn't your parents freak out about it?" Softhoof shook his head. "Nope, they thought it was awesome too! They've been really nice to me lately, hugging and kissing me and stuff, and they let me stay up late," he said. "Hay, do you want some lip balm? Role said I could have this tube because she can always make more of it." "Make more of it?" said Button, and he took the tube and looked it it. The stick was in a white plastic tube that looked like it had seen lots of use. "Weird. Why would they make lip balm here? Probably Upendo knows how to do it." "So do you want some? Go on, try it! It feels really good." "I don't want Mom to know I was using something... um, that looks like this," Button said, rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof. "So? Just wipe it off after," said Softhoof. Button Mash sighed. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he said, then gingerly applied a layer of the lipstick. It felt warm and tingly going on, and the scent made him feel uncomfortably girly. But the discomfort quickly faded to a strange feeling of belonging. Or maybe just longing... "This... this is weird. I wonder what they put in this stuff?" said Button. "I dunno, but I can't stop using it," said Softhoof. Button Mash bit his lip. "Maybe you can't, for real. It almost feels like there's a drug in this. I feel... I feel like..." "Like we're best friends?" "Yeah, that's it exactly," said Button. "Ugh, I'm sorry. I guess there's nothing wrong with that, is there?" Button spent the rest of the afternoon laying back with Softhoof and looking at clouds. He almost forgot to wipe off the lipstick before leading Softhoof to his home to play Neightendo together. The meeting didn't end until early evening. Button briefly met Softhoof's parents, who seemed perfectly normal. Button's own mother acted thrilled to see him, almost as though she hadn't seen him in years. She waited until they were alone in the kitchen to express herself fully. "Oh, Button, I'm so glad we joined Innocence!" said Love Tap, as though the village were some kind of a club. "You and I are going to have so much fun together!" She picked up her son in her forehooves, reared back, and spun him around. "Heh, y-yeah," said Button, tottering dizzily after being set back down. "So I guess the lunch thing was fun?" Button's mom nodded and smiled with shining eyes. Button knew that look well: she was intensely proud of him. But I haven't done anything, have I? "Um, I'm gonna play Neightendo for a while," said Button. "Of course, dear. Have fun! We'll chat over supper." Button was busy defeating the Dark Lord of Azerbious with the Crystal Sword of Ultimate Power when a knock rang on his door. "Suppertime, sweetie!" called his mom. Button Mash hit the pause button on his controller, jumped up, and trotted out to the dining room table. Then he hit the pause button on his brain. Something wasn't right. For one, it was dark. All the lights were off. The small dining room table was lit by a pair of candles, and rose petals were scattered across its surface, as well as on the floor around the table. Looking up, he saw that Mom had that look on her face again. She was also wearing a dress he'd never seen before. It was sheer and pink, tight around the legs, blousey around the barrel, and ruched up around the tail in a way that kept it lifted. Oddly enough, it covered everything but the area below her tail and part of her belly. "Mom, um... why are you wearing... like, night clothes?" asked Button, unsure how else to say it. "Oh! I'm so sorry dear, I hope it doesn't disturb you. I never get a chance to show it off to anypony, and I thought maybe you would think Mommy is pretty..." "Of course you're pretty, Mom," said Button. "It's just a little weird. Are you inviting somepony over for a date?" Love Tap walked up to her son and booped him muzzle to muzzle. "Just a date with my most special little stallion ever, shmoopy-woopy." She picked him up and placed him into one of the two chairs, then walked into the kitchen to retrieve the food. "Something isn't right," Button whispered under his breath, shivering in place. What happened to Mom? Love Tap returned to the dining table with a dish in her mouth and another in one hoof. She set them both down on the table. "I made your favorite! Rice and fescue with a white and tomato sauce," she said. "It was a little tricky to find the ingredients but I wanted tonight to be special." Button's stomach rumbled. "Oh, wow. Thanks Mom!" he said, then tasted the rice. "It's perfect. You didn't have to go to so much trouble..." he said, then started shoveling food into his face while his mother watched. After a moment he paused to take a gulp from a glass of milk and gasp for breath. "Aren't you gonna eat any?" he asked. "If you want me to, sure. I just love watching you eat. You're so... I know you hate hearing this, but you're adorable, sweetie. You'll always be my baby boy." "Ah geez Mom, you're gonna make me gag while I'm eating," joked Button, rolling his eyes. He returned to eating, while his mother ate more slowly from her plate, eyes fixed on her son. Button finished his meal and took another gulp of milk, then sighed contentedly. "That was great." "I'm so pleased you liked it," said Love Tap, smiling and on the verge of tears. "Why are you so sentimental, Mom? Is it Dad's birthday or something?" Love shook her head. "No, darling. But then I suppose it is, in a way. I finally see how grown-up you've become. You're ready to be the stallion of the house, to fill your father's horseshoes," she said. "I know you can handle the responsibility." "I'm still just a kid, Mom. I don't want a ton of responsibility yet," said Button. "I mean, I can try to protect you and stuff, but I'm still small, and I can't get a job or anything until I at least get my cutie mark and learn what I'm good at..." Button's mother reached across the table and placed a hoof to her son's lips. "Shhh," she said. "You're more of a stallion than you realize, honey, and we're a team. We're here to help each other." Button smiled. "I think I can live with that." "I heard you were practicing kissing with the other children," Love Tap giggled, as she played with her food with a fork. "I think that's very mature of you." "Oh, um..." Button Mash said, blushing. "It was just kind of weird. I don't really want to talk about it." Gosh, I hope she doesn't know it was with Softhoof... "Not a problem, my little dove. I'm proud of you for taking such a difficult step toward growing up, though. You know, if you ever needed to practice..." Love Tap's voice trailed off as she blushed, and then she batted her eyes at her son. "Um, what. I don't get it," said Button Mash. "I mean I could help you practice kissing. For when Sweetie Belle comes here, of course," she offered. "Oh, that's all. Wait, what? Oh, Mom, no! Like, boy-girl kissing? Us?" said Button, feeling something catch in the back of his throat. "That's... that's like super, duper gross! You're my MOM," he said. "You know you're my Mom, right?" "I'm your mother, and I love you. It's just practice, sweetie," she explained. "Can't you just relax?" Without warning, Button suddenly felt his body relaxing against his will. His muscles felt heavy and numb, and it was very difficult to move. He struggled to break free from the compulsion. "It's okay if you don't want to now, but the offer is always open," his mother added. "I th-think I need to go to bed now," gasped Button, forcing his body to respond. He pushed himself away from the table and ran into his room.