//------------------------------// // Tiny Stars Adventures: Winning a Young Colts Heart // Story: Student of Friendship // by zalla661 //------------------------------// Later that day as class got out Starlight was packing her books while Sweetie Belle continued to talk to Button. She hated the filly right now. Even if she was Rarity's sister she absolutely loathed the marshmallow filly with a burning passion. She glared at the white filly who glared right back at her. She stuck her tongue out at her and giggled as Starlight began to fume. She quickly trotted over as Button turned to see her approaching. "Hey, Star! How's it going?" he asked as per usual. *He really is a sweet colt.* she thought nuzzling his cheek. While he blushed at the contact Sweetie growled turning red with anger. From behind her Silver Spoon watched with eagerness as the two started nuzzling him at the same time. She frowned and left the class with her nose high up, but not before turning a glance back over her shoulder. Button was in a daze as the other colts looked at him with envy and some of the fillies giggled. Eventually Sweetie and Starlight pulled away from him and the colt nearly toppled over had it not been for his desk he leaned on. Both fillies giggled before glaring at one another. When he recovered the colt waddled past without his saddlebags leaving the two unicorns behind. Sweetie Belle ran after him and Starlight followed after them not wanting to leave them alone for too long. Moments later she came back a took Buttons bags along with hers and then ran out the door again. She followed Button and Sweetie Belle down the street as they all talked. Mostly it was the unicorns trying to outshine the other to win Button over but the colt was to entranced with his joy-boy to notice. That is until Sweetie pulled her out and invited him to play Smash Ponies with her. Starlight followed close watching the play over Buttons shoulder as they made their way towards his home. By this point Sweetie Belle and Button had finished their match and the white filly had to run off hoe leaving Button with Starlight, much to her delight. "So Button, about going to the castle," she said drawing on as she leaned into his side playfully, "Wanna come along with me and meet Princess Twilight?" "Really?! I'd love to! I just have to ask my mom." he said excited running towards his house. "Come on! I want you to meet her! She's really cool." Starlight smiled following the excited colt into his home. It was a quaint home. Sparsely decorated with a few pictures of him and his family. Starlight flew up to one family picture that hung on the wall. The center was a large stallion earth pony. He was dark brown like Buttnon and had a short well trimmed mane and emerald eyes. Beneath him was Button and a slightly larger pony who she guessed was his brother he talked about named Arcade Mash. Beside them was a mare. Cream colored coat and an orange mane with the kindest light blue eyes she'd ever seen. "Hey Star, I'm gonna go drop my bags off in my room. Wanna come see?" he asked. "Nah maybe next time." The colt shrugged running upstairs leaving the unicorn to her own devices. She flew around the entry way and then over to the kitchen which was empty. She floated around the house looking around at everything she could see. Eventually she came across an odd looking device similar to Buttons Joy-boy sitting on a table. It was rectilinear and yellow with a small screen and five buttons on it. It had a port similar to the cartridge holder on Buttons Joy-boy and inside was a blue plastic cartridge. Remembering how the others reacted she remembered not to remove it unless she knew what she was doing and placed the device back on the table she found it on. As she began to float away a voice cut through the silence startling her. "Excuse me who are you?" it asked. "Gah!" Starlight screamed flying into a wall head first and fell to the floor. "Oh dear are you alright?!" the voice asked again with concern. "I'm fine thanks." "Oh thank goodness!" the voice said as a cream hoof rubbed her forehead. "I'm glad you aren't too badly hurt Here let me set you on the couch dear. I'll get an ice pack." "Thank you." The mare walked away before Starlight could get a good look at her but caught a glimpse of her orange tail as it rounded the corner to the kitchen. She heard the sound of a door opening and closing. Moments later the mare returned with the ice pack in her mouth. Starlight recognized her as the mare in the picture. She was very pretty. The mare sat beside her and gently rubbed a cloth covered bag of ice over her sore head with a warm smile that melted her tiny heart. As she tended to the filly the mare looked around as if expecting somepony but found no one around. "Are you one of Buttons new friends?" she asked. "Yes, ma'am. I'm Starlight Glimmer." she said extending her hoof out to the mare, who chuckled. "In that case it's nice to meet you Miss Glimmer." she shook the hoof in an over the top well mannered way. "I am Dame Milano Mash. I run this house." she declared. "Mom! Are you here?" "In here sweetie! I have your little friend!" On cue with his mom Button ran around a corner skidding to a halt as her side. "Hi mom." he looked over to Starlight. "Hey Star, what happened to you? Did you bump your head or something flying around?" The colt rubbed her head feeling a small bump on it making her flinch. "Ow. That's quite the bump on your head there, Star." he said tenderly placing the ice pack back on. "Thanks Button." Starlight cooed kissing his nose. The colt sighed with content while his mother giggled at him. She pulled her son close and ruffled his mane. "Aww, does my little colt have a little fillyfriend?" she cooed at him. "Ah mooom!" he whined shoving her away. Starlight then gave him a hurt look. Pouting her lip and working some crocodile tears. "But Button, don't you like me?" The poor colt stuttered as his mother jumped in not missing a beat to add salt to injury. "Yeah Button. Why would you turn down such a cutey?" she said nudging him playfully. The colt groaned pushing away from in annoyance. "You guys are so mean!" The two female ponies laughed at the colt as he grumbled pouting to himself. Eventually the two calmed down and Starlight's headache subsided and all the while Starlight got to know Buttons mom. "So Mrs. Mash-" "Please dear call me Milano. Mrs. makes me sound old." she said. "You are old mom." *Thwack!* "Owww! What was that for? It's the truth!" The next thing he knew his om put him in a headlock making him gag as he struggled against her. *Oh Button.* Starlight thought shaking her head at the silly colt. "So are we gonna go or what?" she asked him. The two stopped their struggle and Button managed to squirm out of his mother grasp. He clumsily climbed the couch and sat beside Starlight. He wrapped an arm around her neck and pulled her close to him pressing his body against hers. She blushed as his mother grinned at them with a sly and playful look. Button then asked, "Hey mom, can I go with Starlight to go see the castle and Princess Twilight Sparkle?" The mare looked shocked by her sons request then glanced over to the filly next to him. "You can get him into the castle?" Her expression then hardened. "This isn't some sort of prank you're planning is it? Like that hooligan Rainbow Dash? The Princess is a very busy pony and shouldn't be bothered by children." she warned. Starlight waved her hoof dismissively. "No need to worry Milano Mash. I am the Princesses Student. I live there." "Y-you do?" she stuttered. "Yup! Wanna go see?" "Well, I guess you can go Button..." she said looking unsure. "But I want you home by 8 o'clock understood?" "Yes mom! Thanks you're the best!" button yelled hugging his mom around the waist. "Come on, Star! Let's go!" "Coming!" the pink filly said chasing after him. "You two stay out of trouble! Remember 8!" she yelled to them as they scampered off into Ponyville. The two young ponies ran down the streets heading for the castle non stop. Both were excited running until they reached the castle. Outside at her post, as usual, was Thunderclap. The guardsmare looked own the the two approaching foals recognizing Starlight but notthe brown colt she stepped in front of them halting their advance. "Whoa there Starlight! Who's this?" she asked sizing up the tiny colt. "He doesn't look like much." the mare said clearly not impressed by him. "Hey!" the colt called out in indignation. "Come on, Clappy! He's my friend! I invited him over." the pink unicorn said kissing his cheek. She then gave the mare her signature wide eyed puppy dog stare. The effect was instantaneous. The mare gasped trying to look away but was entranced by the cuteness before her. She felt a tightening in her chest as she gripped the chest plate of her armor. Finally after what felt like an eternity for her she gave in. 'Ugh! Fine! Just stop looking at me like that!" she grumbled stepping aside for them to pass. "Thanks Thunderclap!" Starlight tugged the colt running past but stopped when Thunderclap spoke out just loud enough for her to hear. "You know when you get back into your adult body I will rain pain down on you, right?" "My adult...." Starlight felt it again. Deep down the fear she had came back ten fold on her mind. She was a grown mare acting, no pretending to be a child and she had to face the music soon. "Hey Starlight Let's go!" "Coming!" Starlight ran after the colt into the castle where she would have him meet Twilight Sparkle. Once inside the filly took Button on a tour of the castle and walked him to her room, then the kitchen, followed by the library where she found Trixie and Twilight reading a scroll together. Starlight held a hoof to her lips telling Button to be silent. He nodded lowering himself to hug the floor as Starlight used her magic to fly high above the two mares. They were so enthralled with what they were reading that they seemingly never noticed the light glow above them. Starlight then pulled out a paper bag and blew it up until it was ready to pop. Slowly she leaned closer and closer to Twilight and Trixie until she was an inch away from their ears. "Starlight don't you dare." Trixie said looking up at her with the most unamused glare she could muster. Twilight looked up casually at the filly pulling her down into a hug. "Hey,Star! How was class today?" "It was fun!" the filly replied happily. "I brought my friend Button to meet you. He's really sweet." The filly practically gushed at the mention of his name making the colt stay frozen in place until the two older mares looked at him from his hiding spot. He got up and gave a nervous wave of his hoof. Trixie walked over to him and looked him over. Her stern gaze as piercing and demeaning as Thunderclaps. The colt shrank under her gaze and then walked over to Starlight and leaned into her ear and whispered something to her that flustered her. She swatted Trixie until she went away laughing obnoxiously. She glared at the mare muttering, 'big blue jerk' under her breath before being settled on the ground beside Button. She smiled offering her hoof to him which he shook promptly. His mother always taught him to shake another ponies hoof when offered especially royalty. "Wow, I can't believe I'm shaking Twilight Sparkles hoof!" he squeed showing his fancolt side. "This is so cool I can't believe you actually teach Starlight!" "That's right. You're from her class? She talks a lot about you." Twilight asked sitting before them. Button looked surprised by this. He knew she liked him but not that much. "She does?" "Mhmmm." "Wow, I didn't know you felt that way Starlight." he said rubbing her cheek with his. The pink unicorn filly went rigid and blushed only to have in intensify when Trixie snickered and Twilight giggled saying, 'how cute' they were together. "So how did you two meet, Button?" Twilight spoke looking down at him. "Well, you see Princess it all started with a math problem." For the next several minutes Button went on to tell how Starlight outsmarted Miss Cherilee with her own math problem. As fun as it was the class knew better than to try something like that again. After that he told them about how they became friends sharing lunch under a tree by the swings which now became their favorite spot to hang out. Twilight felt happy to see Starlight making friends, but Trixie sat in silence with observing eyes. She watched Starlight's reactions when Button talked about her and how she spoke about him. It was very clear to her how the two felt for one another but begged the question did Twilight already know? Whatever the answer maybe it became clear to her when the next series of events unfolded. As Button finished his story Twilight and him were laughing at one of her more embarrassing moments during recess. "-and that was how she got stuck in the belfry." "Wow, I ddin't know you could do that Starlight. I'm proud of you! Since when could you do phasing spells?" "Since last night when you, Trixie, and I practiced phasing objects." Starlight explained. "I looked into it after Trixie said she did it once for an escape act of her." The alicorn princess looked to the magician who nodded in confirmation to the fillies tale. "All true. Trixie used it to imitate Hoofdinis Great Shark Tank Escape act." she said, rather reluctantly. "If you tell anypony Trixie will drop you into a tank full of piranhas." "Riiiiggght. So Button," Starlight leaned into him. "You got somepony to go to the Hearts and Hooves Festival tomorrow?" "No why?" "Well I was wondering if you'd like to go with me?" she asked him, hoping he'd say yes. The colt contemplated for a long while rubbing his chin. "I don't know. You sure you wanna go with a colt like me?" She looked at him like he just said the dumbest thing in the world. "Of course you dummy! I like you and... well," she paused trying to think of a way to say what she wanted without making it too obvious to Twilight and Trixie. So she said the most subtle thing she could think of on the fly, "I wanna be your special somepony. Will you be my special somepony?" "What?" "WHAT?!" "Trixie saw that coming." Before another word was said Twilight quickly pulled Button away from her student and walked him to the doors. "Oh would you look at the time! You really should be heading home little one. Thunderclap!" A bright flash of light later and the unicorn guardsmare appeared before the princess giving a polite bow. "Yes your majesty." "Please see to it that master Mash gets home safely, OK?" "Yes, right away your majesty." She bowed thanking the mare and added, "Oh and, Clappy. I told you to call me Twilight. That's an order." "Yes you maje-I mean Twilight." "Thank you Clappy!" she called out playfully to the mare closing the doors on her. *That's not my name!* Her muffled voice screamed through the door. Twilight giggled but put on a serious face stomping towards Starlight. The unicorn filly looked worried like she was afraid she did something wrong. Twilight bore a look of both anger and disappointment. "Trixie can you please leave us for now." she said to the other unicorn. Trixie nodded silently, putting on her cape and hat as she made her way to the door she mouthed 'good luck' to Starlight. Tipping her hat to her she exited the library leaving them alone. The two remained silent for a minute before Twilight broke the silence, her voice filled with sadness and frustration.. "I'm very disappointed in you Starlight. What were you thinking asking him that?" she asked shaking her head. The filly looked away like she didn't care. "It's not like it really matters. I'm a filly,he's a colt end of story." "NO STARLIGHT! That's not, 'end of story.' I won't allow this." she declared with a powerful stomp of her hoof. "You can't see him anymore." This infuriated the filly. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at the alicorn defiantly. "Oh, and I suppose you'll stop me? How? Are you going to ground me? I'm a grown mare so you can't ground me or keep me here!" This revelation seemed to calm the alicorn down. She took a deep breath and counted to ten before she smirked at the filly earning a confused look from her. "You are absolutely right Star. You are a grown mare and such I can't ground you." she admitted. Starlight pumped her fist in victory but twilight held a hoof up to stop her cheer. "However it works both ways. As a grown mare you can't see Button anymore." "What why not?" she asked, but she knew exactly where this was going. Deep in her mind she had thought about this for sometime now. "Because if you make any intimate contact with him that would be against the law. I'm sorry Star, but for your own good and his it's time you two stopped seeing each other." The mare sighed rubbing her head. "I never thought it, this would happen." "What? That i'd fall in love?" Starlight asked sarcastically. "Yes! Starlight you're a grown mare and you admitted to kissing him! That technically makes you a pedophile! Don't you get it?! You could get in trouble for this!" she cried to wrapping her arms and wings around her student pulling her close, but in a gentle manner. "If somepony found out you could get in a lot of trouble Starlight. You have to stop seeing him." "Oh, so you since I became your student you suddenly think you can order me around?" Starlight circled around the mare rolling her eyes. Twilight glared at the filly, her temper rising to a boiling point. "Don't you talk back to me like that!" Starlight flew up into her mentors face pressing her nose against hers. "Sorry, MOM! Oh wait, you're not my MOM! So why don't you just stay out of my life! Argh! I wish I never met you!" By them time she realized what she had said she covered her mouth with her hooves. She saw the hurt look in Twilight's eyes as tear flowed freely down. The alicorn looked away in shameful defeat leaving Starlight stunned. "Twilight I,... I didn't mean, I mean-" she stuttered reaching for her mentor but stopped an inch away unable to bring herself to touch her. Without a word Twilight began to sob and turned tail and ran away. She disappeared in a bright flash of pink light, indicating she teleported, but where nopony knew. This left Starlight in the library feeling bad and her victory hollow. She had rejected her teacher on the spot and not even a week in. How could she be so stupid? "Madame?" She looked around to find Guiding Wind looking down on her like a predator ready to strike. She looked upset at her, very upset. "Madame why did you say the things so harsh and mean?" "But I didn't mean it honest!" the scared filly pleaded. "I just wanted to be happy is all." "Madame, shame on you. For shame. You would expend the hoof that cared for you in exchange for happiness?" she tsked looking away in disgust at the filly. "The Princess sacrificed a lot for you to be here, yet you show to be ungrateful. I am disappointed in you. I thought you knew better." *Sigh* "I thought I did too." Starlight dragged her hooves as she made her way out of the library. The Prench maid couldn't even bring herself to look at her she was so upset. And Starlight made her way to her bedroom and locked herself in and flew into bed. She wrapped herself in the blankets and replayed what she had said to Twilight in her head. The more she thought about it, the more she realized just how much of a jerk she had been. Guiding Wind was right, she should feel ashamed. Deep down she did but the lingering feelings she had for Button remained still. She knew Twilight was right also but, she had been denied happiness for so long was it really wrong for her to want just a bit more? She decided to sleep on it and hoped Luna would pay a visit in her dreams. Maybe she'd have the answers she sought. And so the filly rested until her eyes grew heavy and she found herself falling into a deep sleep. Friendship Lost: XX Infamy Gained: XXX