There it was, a box on a pole with one lone button standing… menacingly… at the very center of town. It was crudely colored with just black and white being its sole description with bare basic outlines and nothing more. In a world of pastel and magic and copious amounts of friendship, it stuck out like a stripper in a shopping mall: Alluring but likely filled with nasty surprises.
It appeared this morning without prior warning. Rumors have said that a lone pony was watching the town square as part of his guard duty. He stared at the same spot for five minutes, blinked for one, and then it was there. Not a sound, trace, or clue was left behind. It was just… there.
Now, as far as button boxes go, it wasn’t too terrifically evil. It didn’t have spikes or evil red lettering or ominous aura’s radiating about it, it was quite literally a bare minimum structure. If it wasn’t so dangerous, why would ponies be horrified of it? The answer would have been “suspicion”.
Inscribed on the front surface were these words: Pointless Button. Warning: Pointless.
Twilight Sparkle, who was the first to arrive on the scene, was surrounded by her friends who were either cowering in fear over the unknown object or not caring in the least.
“Seriously Twilight,” Rainbow Dash blurt out as she looked over her companion’s shoulder, “it’s just a stupid button. Even the box says it won’t do anything. Why are you getting all high strung?”
She levitated a magnifying glass out of her saddle and investigated the facing with it. “Because, it’s just too ridiculous for somepony to add this without any rhyme or reason. What if the box is lying? And if it is, what would happen!? Explosions? Parasprites? Discord!?”
“Twi’, I think yer getting’ mighty upset over nothin’. I think somepony is just tryin’ to get everypony’s tails in a knot and it sure is workin’ on most of you.” Applejack tapped the front, making sure not to hit the button. “It’s pretty hollow and it doesn’t sound like anything’s wrong with it.”
“But-“
“Oh Twilight, you’re so silly,” Pinkie Pie intervened with her usually unusual amount of pep. “Why not just press the button and find out! It’s like a surprise party! And if it really is nothing, then there wasn’t any harm in it. Besides, it’s not like we couldn’t handle any meanie pants that came out of there.”
Genuinely surprised that her friend was being the voice of reason, Twilight took a deep breath.
She swallowed a glob of saliva.
She wiped her forehead to remove excess sweat building in her brow.
Her chest was beating as her heart raced inside of her chest.
Pinkie was chewing on some taffy, oblivious to the buildup of suspense.
She lifted a hoof.
Higher.
Higher.
Higher.
There, it was button level.
She gave her friends one last look of hesitation. Most responded with a nod of support or annoyance as if saying “just get on with it”.
Forward, she pushed her hoof.
Forward. Forward. Ever so slowly.
It was resting on the button now. Just one push and it’d be over.
Another gulp.
Another deep breath.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Then, she pushed the button.
And nothing happened.
“Huh…”