• Member Since 18th Oct, 2014
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Trick Question


Being against evil doesn't make you good.

T

In school today, Button Mash learned an interesting fact: unlike other mammals, male horses and male mice are born without nipples.

Button returns home with a difficult question for his mother. Now it's up to Mom to teach him a valuable lesson in self-acceptance.

Chapters (1)
Comments ( 105 )

Huh. Is an actual thing with bourses?

Either way very well written and a touching mom/child moment.

SShonix #4 · Nov 6th, 2017 · · 34 ·

So Button's a transgender huh? (At least that's what I got out of the story)

Damn this story is bittersweet yet happy at the same time. Made a smile on my face that's for sure.

Intervir #5 · Nov 6th, 2017 · · 1 ·

8533531
No, he is just a natural variant. Just like some people are born with 3 nipples

8533531
Not transgender, but perhaps intersex to some extent.

I wasn't expecting such a feels punch from "Nipples," but here we are.

Well done. :twilightsmile:

Recently, somebody commented on one of my blogs that you couldn't make an interesting story based on a random horse fact, and I said you could.

I was expecting this to go a different way, to be honest, but I liked what you did better than what I thought was going to happen.

8533604
With all the interesting stories already out there based on random horse facts, that's a bizarre claim to make.

8533604

8533606
Now I need to write an explicitly uninteresting horse fact story.

a interesting story and a fun read.
side note donkeys have nipples even the jacks.

Should I feel guilty about this one? Naaa...

You had me interested in this story at the word "Nipples" :trollestia:

I have 3.
Milk lines, it happens.

the word "nipple" has been used 14 times in this story, i thought it was more than that.:trollestia:
:twilightsmile:

Huh. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this took a surprising number of surprising turns for something weighing in at only a few kilowords. Nice work, especially with Button's mother showcasing her special talent.

Makuta #17 · Nov 6th, 2017 · · 1 ·

"Once you’ve accepted your flaws, no one can use them against you."- Tyrion Lannister

Neat story. Thumbs up :pinkiesmile:

8533531
Nah, just genetically different.

Awkward title or not, this deserves to be featured for the maturity in the text alone, without needing to be rated mature.

Autumn is here and things are getting rather 'nipply' outside! Might I 'inteat' some of you for warmer clothing?

:trollestia:

8533835 Unless your flaw is murdering people and eating their flesh... people tend not to like that even if you're honest and upfront about it.

:trollestia:

I think it needs a sequel. one showing sweetie belles reaction. but that is just my opinion it is a perfectly lovely story ten hooves up

8533604
I had that nagging feeling this was somehow your fault.

8534249
This one was totally my creation, inspired only from finding a random horse fact and having something important to say to children about self-acceptance.

Very bold and interesting.

8533604
What I want to know is how you thought it was going to go! :rainbowlaugh:

Ok, who the hell thought this needed to be rated T? That’s a bit extream for such an important life lesson. Seriously, what the hell

I waited for a few seconds, to no response. Then I opened the door and walked inside before closing it behind me . . .
He stood up, trotted to the bedroom door and shut it, then walked to the window and pulled the shade down all the way.

ummmm . . . wut? :derpyderp1:

8533561
8533838
8533557
I see, thanks for the clarification.

I didn't look at the tags when I started reading and was entirely expecting some comedic cut, but nope! This was actually very sweet. It goes to show that even the more embarrassing topics need a little attention, and Button's mom is anything but a reluctant parent. :twilightsmile:

8534400
I think it was rated Teen because Mom alluded to “liking” her husband’s nipples. You know, in a fetishy way.

8534591
That isn't the reason I was given, but I can see that interpretation. In reality she's just trying to tell him that having nipples doesn't mean that nopony will love him, which was his immediate concern in the story.

8534402
Oops. I blame an accidental double-edit for that. Will fix it now.

8534400
Somepony who is ashamed of their nipples? :trollestia:

Seriously, though. So far four mods have unanimously weighed in against it. I'm not angry with them because they're just doing their jobs, but I'm very disappointed.

8534606 What is the reason you were given? I would be curious to know what arbitrary line in the sand you supposedly crossed. Cause I agree with you, there is no reason kids couldn't read this.

8534612
One moderator insists it's about "child sexuality". Another one told me the word "nipples" is not allowed in an E story.

I'm not going to talk about this anymore in the comments, however. It isn't appropriate to the moderators for me to vent about second-hoof conversations on my story forum. I don't want this thread to be a dumping ground for people to side with me or get upset with the mods, when they're only doing their job (even though I may disagree with them this time).

So, my piece has been said up in the story description: I disagree, and I'm disappointed. I only want people to know it was not my choice to make this story less accessible to children.

8534624
Thank you for answering to the best of your ability, well trying not to paint the mods in a bad light.

8533606

With all the interesting stories already out there based on random horse facts, that's a bizarre claim to make.

Yeah, I know.

It might not have been phrased exactly like that, but that was the gist of it.

8533630

Now I need to write an explicitly uninteresting horse fact story.

The best one I can think of is that horses have a stay apparatus in their front legs so that they can doze standing up. If ponies don't, but some pony who got her hooves on a human horse factbook (probably Twilight) tries, falls over, and gets a bloody nose.

8534249

I had that nagging feeling this was somehow your fault.

While it's true that many things on Fimfiction can be blamed on me, this isn't one of them. I don't think that Trick Question or I have ever discussed horse nipples or anything related to them.

8534343

What I want to know is how you thought it was going to go! :rainbowlaugh:

I thought that Button Mash was going to find out that male horses don't have nipples and be jealous that all his filly classmates do, and want to have some kind of nipple implant surgery, or draw them on his coat, or something like that. (I left nipple unspoilered because it's funny)

8534314
Not exactly related, but I was thinking about what we might or might not have talked about at Trotcon, and I suddenly realized something: You're trying to ship me with Bad Horse, aren't you?

8534624
Hmm just for information, are this rules written somewhere acessible to the normal user? Because nothing is more annoying than hidden censorship rules...

8534690

You're trying to ship me with Bad Horse, aren't you?

"Badmiral Horsebiscuit", I dub thee

@moderators Make this story E again, please thanks.

I've updated the description note to be more informative and less accusatory. It isn't my aim to spar with the moderators. I only want to make it clear that I intended this story for young audiences, and that I don't personally feel the material is handled in a manner that is inappropriate for children.

Thank you all for enjoying and supporting my story. :heart:

8534718
In fairness to the moderators, it isn't possible to be explicit on every judgment call in advance—no set of rules will ever be that precise. The rules are not secret: it comes down to whether or not you would consider this story appropriate for the show's younger target audience (which is the general E rule).

I would agree that this crosses the line for show material, because I wouldn't expect the show to discuss body feelings in this degree of frankness, even briefly. Then again, most E stories I've read don't fit the show's thematic limitations either, so YMMV.

Yiars!

Very nice and sweet little short.

I liked it a lot.

:moustache::moustache::moustache:/:moustache::moustache::moustache::moustache::moustache:

~Leonzilla

I pursed my lips in thought. "Well, I don't know. Do you think she's the kind of filly who would accept you for who you are, and maybe keep a secret if you wanted that?" I asked.


He gasped and jumped out of the bed. "I know she is! I'll go talk to her now!" he shouted, opening the door and racing out of his room.

(I thought of this having missed that she had suggested Sweetie Belle could keep it secret.) Am I the only one who thinks that could go.....oddly? Like he'll see her, run up to her and go "Sweetie Belle! I have nipples!" And everypony will just be like :rainbowderp:

8535075
Oddly enough, I wasn't thinking "Comedy" at any time during the writing of this story—and yet that's both hilarious and in-character. :rainbowlaugh:

This wasn’t suitable for an E rating? It’s one of the most benign things I’ve read!

ETA:
Never mind, I figured it out. The bit about nipples feeling good when touched would qualify as sexual content, or at least there could be a strong argument for that. The mods were just erring on the side of caution to make sure site rules aren’t broken.

Huh, different parenting styles I suppose. I'd be like-

"Yeah your weird. Doesn't matter. Won't change who you become unless you let it. Plenty of stallions have nipples even if its uncommon-"

Saying something isn't weird is just a lie. A platitude that kids easily detect. Better to be honest and hug it out while answering questions. Tell them that you love them and that they will be loved and anypony who does care about you having nipples isn't worth your time to impress or care about.

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