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// Diary Entry #3 
// Story: Cozy Glow’s Diary Entries of Love 
// by HAKDurbin 
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Dear Diary,

Fantastic news! I have figured out what it is about Button Mash that interests me. It's something I would never have guessed in all of my life, and yet I feel happy that this is the answer.

It happened earlier this evening. Classes finished for the day, and I finished my first day as Headmare Twilight's assistant. I decided to grab a milkshake at Sugarcube Corner to celebrate how I had begun to gain the princess's trust, but on the way back to the school, I found Button Mash playing a video game on a bench. He was grumbling while slamming the buttons with frustration. I decided to look over his shoulder to find out what was going on, having learned by now not to disturb him while he plays. 

From what I could tell, he was playing as an earth pony dressed in armor and carrying a sword with his mouth while he and several other ponies on the screen were fighting a giant minotaur carrying a two-handed ax. The pony he was playing seemed to be doing fine with fighting the beast, but the other ponies kept getting hurt. Eventually, two of them were killed, and Button Mash turned off the game in a fit of rage. He resisted the urge to throw the game into the ground before he started whining. That's when I decided to greet him and ask what was the matter, pretending that I wasn't watching. 

Button Mash sniffled before he greeted me and started explaining what happened. The best I understood was that the video game was about making your character and his companions strong enough to defeat all sorts of enemies throughout the game's fictional world. But you had to be careful because if any of your companions died, they were gone for good making it harder to complete the game. Poor Button Mash was angry with how his companions were standing around like dolts and letting themselves get killed by the monster. He turned off the game to prevent it from "saving" so that he could have the imbeciles who died back. Button then went on about how he had to work on making them stronger before fighting the minotaur, but he hated that he had to because he wanted to win now. He wants the minotaur and all other creatures in the game to fall before him with the help of his little band

That's when it hit me. This is why I've been thinking about Button Mash so much. The games I've seen him play had something in common; he needs ponies to do his bidding. The ponies had to be strong and smart like him to make his enemies tremble before him for his conquests. That's why he cries or gets angry when he fails and why he was so happy that Sweetie Belle was a competent assistant. He wants to be a warrior that takes down the mightiest of foes, and he knows the power behind others doing his bidding. In other words, he's just like me.

Think of it this way; I am the future Empress of Friendship who will use my friends to do everything I want to rule Equestria, and he wants friends to destroy his enemies. We are the only ponies in the world who understand the might behind friendship and have the ambition to use it to our will. Deep in the heart of this pathetic, whiny colt, there is a mighty stallion who can lead others to battle, and I want him to be the one who will do so however I wish. 

It's clear to me now. I'm in love with Button Mash. No. Not Button Mash. Just Button. My Button. 

At that moment, I encouraged him not to give up and to keep fighting until the end. His spirits were lifted, and he pulled me into a hug. My heart was leaping while I wrapped my arm around him to tighten the embrace. I wanted to hold him forever, but I knew he needed to continue his campaign. I watched him fight lesser creatures with his minions cheerfully while occasionally glancing at him. I stayed by his side until his mother came to take him home. 

As of that moment, it is now clear that Button is meant to be mine. I will develop our relationship whenever I'm not busy carrying out my plans, and when all of the magic is gone, and I am empress, I will share my friends with Button, giving him the army he needs to conquer real enemies. After all, many creatures will want to take over Equestria, so I will need my cunning knight to defend and conquer in my name. When he realizes the extent of my support, he will rightfully love his empress to no end, and we will be together always. Oh, Diary, I can't wait until that day.

Till next time,

Cozy Glow