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// Gaming the Training (Button Mash) 
// Story: Potty Training Tales 
// by SuperPinkBrony12 
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Love Tap (also known as Minuette Mash), groaned softly to herself. The indie game designer sighed as she bent down, a dampened forest green washcloth held between her hoof and the floor. For almost a year after she had noticed the telltale signs of readiness, she had thought that maybe, just maybe, she could get her now four year old colt to trot on through the trials and tribulations of potty training and graduate into using the toilet. At first it had seemed promising, with Button using the potty fairly regularly, albeit with the occasional nudge or suggestion from his mother.

However, as he got a bit older (after his third birthday in fact), Button had become more and more opinionated, and less likely to use the potty. Sometimes he’d hide away whenever he pooped his diaper, leaving Love to go on a smelly game of hide and seek for her child. Currently, as he had run out of diapers, she had thought him going bare bottomed would help encourage him to use the potty again.

But she had found herself wrong on that too. Now here she was, cleaning up a puddle he had piddled out right as he went to, funnily enough, get a juice box from the fridge. 

“There, all clean, finally,” Love Tap mumbled, drying up the wet spot. Stretching, the mother of one swiftly tossed the warm and soaked cloth into the hamper nearby. “There has to be something to get Button to use the potty more, but what?” The mother mused, before her mind rewinded to the past two weeks where her son had been, like herself, utterly enraptured by advertisements for an upcoming game. It was a Neighponese Roleplaying Game by the name of Trails in the Sky and was about a brother-sister pair of pegasi mercenaries. A proverbial lightbulb sparked to life in Love’s imagination as a small, scheming smile graced her muzzle. “That could do it.” She smiled, a plan forming to hopefully, get her son motivated to finally start using the potty. 

First grabbing her wallet, and counting out that she had enough bits to enact her master potty training plan, Love Tap hurriedly went to call on Rarity, asking the up and coming fashionista if she’d be alright with foalsitting her son, particularly if her little sister Sweetie Belle was up for a playdate. 

Once the maternal mare had gotten the confirmation, and the alabaster unicorn duo arrived, she hugged her son goodbye, and said she’d be back after she ran some errands. That done with, she trotted out the door to the local GameStable just a few blocks from her home with hope in her heart, and a song on her lips.





After two hours of not only purchasing two copies of Trails for herself and her son, but also some essentials: groceries, toilet paper, and the like, Love Tap finally returned home. She found Sweetie Belle and her little Button Mash chatting in their foalishly often lisped equish, while engaged in a session of StableCraft. Sweetie Belle and Button were clad both in colorful training pants. “Hey you three, I’m home!” Love Tap called out.

Immediately, her son’s head whipped around and an ear-to-ear grin bloomed onto his face. “Mommy!” The precocious little colt squealed in delight, galloping over like his mother like his rump had been set ablaze. He glomped her, grinning brightly. “I missed you!” He kissed her all over as if he hadn’t seen her in ages.

Love giggled, having thankfully set down her purchases before her son had pounced on her. “I missed you too, honey,” She cooed, finally managing to scoot her colt off of her, patting his little propeller beanie wearing head. “Guess what, sweetie?” She asked, crouching a bit so she was eye level with her beloved little gamer. 

“What?” Button asked while bouncing excitedly. He always loved whenever his mom asked him that, as it almost always meant a pleasant surprise was in store. A surprise like some extra candy she had snagged while working her job at the local confectionary: Sunny Skies’ Sweet Shack, or a bonus to his allowance for helping out more around the home or neighborhood.

“Ah, ah, ah, close your eyes first, dear,” Love Tap admonished, waving a hoof. Button pouted, but eventually shut his eyes, a small smile gracing his features. Humming a little ditty to herself, the motherly mare reached behind her, into the off-white GameStable bag, rummaging around in it for her son’s game copy. Soon, she retrieved the bribe to be and swiftly pulled it out, placing it just out of Button’s reach. “Alright, you can open them!” 

Button did just that, and let out a high pitched fusion of a mouse’s squeak and a gasp! The colt did a flip in surprise, swinging his forelegs before he came to rest on his padded tush. Love was sure the colt would have likely peed, or worse, his training pants in surprise. But a quick sniff of the air and the lack of any distinct tooting or liquid hitting plastic assuaged her worry. 

The lad sputtered a bit, his jaw dropped low. “I-is dat Trails of the Sky?” hHs eyes were wide, and a wide grin was now forming. He began to do a little jig in his excitement, one hoof reaching for his new game, which was pulled back up a bit by his mom.

“Sorry squirt, you can’t have it just yet,” Minuette said, gently setting the game case back in the bag. “But how about we cut a deal. You start using the potty more often, and if you’re good, I’ll let you play this, OK?” She smiled warmly, fixing his mane.

Button began to rub his chin with a hoof, clicking his tongue. The young lad was, for a four year old, deep in thought. Eventually he sighed, and gazed up at her, “Alright, Mommy, I’ll try.” He hugged her tightly. And then he scampered off to play with Sweetie once more.





A few hours later, it was getting late. Sweetie and Rarity had left, bidding the mother and son farewell. Love Tap was busy preparing dinner, fixing up some Kirinese Vegetable and Root stew. She had wanted to make pho, but she could only find meat recipes. While ponies could eat meat, it would often give them a case of the trots. She set the stew to simmer, placing the lid on the pot. 

As she turned around to go check up on some other house chores, she heard the telltale sign of the bathroom door swiftly opening. Chuckling, she grabbed Button’s copy of Trails in the Sky, soon finding her colt atop his training potty, the sound of plopping being heard. “I used the potty, Mommy! Now I a big pony like Sweetie Belle!” He called out, eying his game quite hungrily. 

“Oh, alright. A deal’s a deal.” Love washed him up, and then hoofed her son the game. It may have taken some bribery, but soon her colt would be using the potty like a pro. And there would be no more diapers to change or puddles to clean up.