//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: Getting Ready for the Big Day! // Story: Civilization: The World on your Hooves // by SterlingC //------------------------------// Education is a vital component for any successful civilization. For one, it makes its citizens much smarter and more productive. One gets much more output from their production lines and much more money for spending projects. More importantly, with schools and universities, the player can research technological advances that gives their civilization an advantage over their opponents. I won’t argue whether higher education is worthwhile because each unique person has a wonderful calling set for them, whether it be manual labour or research. The point’s that in turn-based strategies, tech development is wrought from educational institutions in game. Button Mash awoke from his homely bed with the awakening sun. The brown colt squinted his eyes and loudly yawned. Button slowly got up from his bed and trotted to his mirror. He then put on his rainbow-coloured propeller beanie and smiled. “My name is Button Mash, I’m ten years old, and I like video games!” introduced Button Mash. He was practicing what to say to his fellow classmates once he arrived at the Ponyville Schoolhouse! “I just moved into Ponyville with my mom, and I wanna be your friend!” Button Mash finished. He chuckled to himself. “Not a bad introduction if I do say so myself!” He proudly declared. Now that the brown colt practiced his introductions, he began thinking about the friends he hoped to make. He already started off by befriending Sweetie Belle, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon. But surely there would be colts to whom he could make acquaintance! It wasn’t so much of being scared of fillies as him just not wanting to attract rumours to himself. He was all too aware of all the gossips that surrounded him and Flare Volt… “You reckon that Button Mash and Flare Volt will start going out?” A filly-like voice whispered in his mind. “Him? And her? He may have a crush on her, but she’s at least two years older than him!” Another slithery voice mocked. “I don’t have a crush on her! She’s just… a mentor! Yeah that’s it!” A younger Button Mash protested… The memories were all too fresh for him, even when those rumours dissipated just before he left for Ponyville. Soon, another memory rushed into his mind. “Button Mash… I’m just your mentor and friend. I’m flattered that you have feelings for me, but I just see you as a friend. A good friend,” An all too familiar voice rang out. Flare Volt’s sweet, but blunt response was soft and gentle, but pierced his heart like a sharp sword. Button Mash frowned. He may have moved on from his feelings for Flare Volt, but the incident made him cautious about infatuations for any other filly in his life. That included Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon. The door to Button’s room was opened. His mother peered through the door and saw Button Mash looking at himself with the mirror. “Well, it’s a nice change to see my handsome colt getting ready for school early in the morning!” Love Tap happily chuckled. Button Mash jumped in surprise. “Oh, mom! I didn’t expect you to come in like that!” The brown stallion sheepishly chuckled. “I was just trying to make sure my first day goes well that’s all!” he explained. “Oh Button Mash!” Love Tap giggled. “I’m sure you’ll make lots of friends at the schoolhouse. After all, you already attracted the attention of three fillies over the weekend!” “But moooom! I don’t wanna be a filly’s colt! I wanna have some colt friends too! What if they don’t play video games like I do?!” griped the concerned colt. “And what’s wrong with being a filly’s colt?” Love Tap giggled. “It just means you’re very friendly! I’m also very sure that there will be colts who enjoy video games!” assured the mother. “Well… I guess they'd be colts… But I can’t be sure! There’s so many colts who like sports and other things! But not video games!” pouted the young colt. “Well you thought you wouldn’t find anypony to be friends with when we first moved to Ponyville remember?” reminded Love Tap. The colt sheepishly chuckled. “Exactly. Give the colts a chance, just like you did with the fillies,” advised his mother. A brief moment of pause came between the two before Button Mash nodded with confirmation, “Ok mom. I’ll give them a chance today.” “Good!” Love Tap cheered. “Anyway, are you and Flare Volt still keeping in touch?” the cream mare changed the topic. Button Mash immediately froze. It was a terrible time for her to ask him about his former crush and mentor. He really didn’t want to be reminded about his failings at love with the elder filly. “Ummm… we haven’t really kept in touch anymore…” frowned the brown colt. “Oh? Why not? Didn’t you get her postal address before we moved?” asked the surprised mother. The way she saw it, Flare Volt was somepony who Button Mash admired very much and who mentored him in sportsmanship and skill! “I… I just forgot,” Button Mash tersely replied. Love Tap shook her head. Her intuition was telling her that there was something deeper than what met the eye. But she knew that trying to push the issue at this stage would only worsen matters. “Alright then dear. Suit yourself,” Love Tap resigned. “Anyway, come down for breakfast! We’re having your favourite: apple juice and a chocolate doughnut!” declared the mare as she trotted downstairs to the main dining room. It was quite the enjoyable breakfast for Button Mash and his mother. Nothing much transpired other than the usual excitement Button Mash exuberated about heading to school and seeing Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon again. While his mother’s mind was focused on seeing Rarity to help her with advertising, Love Tap was happy for his son’s settlement into Ponyville. After Button Mash finished his breakfast, the excited colt placed his blue saddlebag on his back, checked for his favourite toy train, and received a kiss goodbye from his mother! Once he finished his preparations, he trotted out, giving a loud goodbye! Button Mash was now on his way to school! Button Mash trotted out his home and out into the Ponyville streets. He trotted along the main road and looked around with awe at all the buzz being generated. He could hear ponies crying out bargain prices for all sorts of products, from flowers to sofas. Ponies were also raising banners showing off different fundraising and club events were on show as well, from knitting to parties by a pink pony named Pinkie Pie! But the view that struck him the most was that of a colt with a saddlebag on his back! He was a grey, chubby colt with a short, frazzled, black mane. He was an Earth pony like Button Mash as well! Perhaps he was heading off to the Ponyville schoolhouse like he was! Button Mash eagerly caught with the unsuspecting colt as he shouted, “Hey! Hey! Wait up!” The chubby, grey colt halted and turned around. He drew a confused look on his face as Button Mash finally caught up. “Thanks! I’m Button Mash! Are you heading off to school?” the brown colt panted as he introduced himself. “Ummm… yeah!” The grey colt stuttered. “I’m… I’m Truffle Shuffle,” introduced the colt with a burly voice. “Nice to meet you Truffle!” Button Mash stretched his hoof. Truffle Shuffle slowly extended and shook hooves with the eccentric colt. “I… I guess it’s nice meeting you too,” Truffle Shuffle slowly smiled. “Are you new to Ponyville?” asked the curious grey colt. “Yep! I just moved from Manehattan this past Friday! I already met and befriended Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon!” Button Mash enthusiastically explained. Truffle Shuffle jumped in surprise when the two fillies were mentioned in the same sentence. Button Mash immediately took note of his astonishment and asked with a confused look, “Why are you so… weirded out?” Truffle Shuffle scrunched and shook his face. “Umm… nothing! Don’t worry about it!” replied the flustered colt. “Ohhh… kay…” replied the perplexed Button Mash. Seeing that an awkward silence was growing between the two colts, Truffle Shuffle quickly changed the topic. “So what do you like to do?” asked the chubby colt. “Well, I like video games! I play all sorts of games, but when I’m at school, I play on my portable GameColt!” Button Mash answered. “Video games? Cool! I know a friend who loves video games! He treats it like a side hobby, but he still plays with them a lot!” Truffle Shuffle replied with a satisfied smile. “Oh really?! Who is this pony?! Can I see him?!” Button Mash beamed. “Sure! His name’s Rumble! We can meet up when we get to school! Rumble tends to be late coming to school, so you’ll probably have to meet him at either recess or lunch,” explained Truffle. “Yay! I can’t wait to see him!” Button Mash jumped in place. Truffle Shuffle scratched his head. He wasn’t much for video games and didn’t see how Button Mash could possibly be so excited over a small screen and a few buttons. “Anyway, if you wanna see him, we should be heading to school! We’re gonna be late if we stand around here!” Truffle Shuffle exclaimed as the two colts ran towards the schoolhouse!