Chapters The beginning of a journey
Author's Note
I'm returning with my new story.
Enjoy :)
The beginning of a journey
The sun dazzled over Equestria, awakening the birds, which at the sight of the sun, chirping began to wake up everyone, who grew up in these areas or were visitors welcome there.
At this time, the most happy were the children, as evidenced how they moved with the happy noises of hooves clapping towards the tallest building in the area.
The School of Friendship, the place the young creatures worked hard to get there.
Contrary to appearances, this was not a typical preschool run by Mrs. Cherilee, but an elite school at the head of which stood princess of all Equestria herself, Twilight Sparkle.
This school was to teach The magic of friendship not only ponies, but also other neighboring creatures like Griffons, Hippogriffs, Yaks, Dragons, formerly evil bug creatures called Changelings who 20 years earlier broke free from the trap of Queen Chrysalis.
Of these, there was one being who spent several years studying. He himself was a completely different creature than the ones mentioned above, because he lived in the Everfree forest in the water with his father.
"Hey Plaguepops" the adult purple sea serpent gingerly shook his sleeping son. "Wake up, it's your big day"
The young snake groaned, as he hid under the covers of his bed.
"Dad, let me sleep... just couple of minutes"
The orange-haired sea serpent with bushy moustache sighed, and then removed bedding from his descendant, which it brought the little snake back to consciousness.
"DAD!? What a-?"
Steven Magnet chuckled, placing the blanket on the top of the shelf, confident that his son would not reach it.
"Plague, It's your first time in The School of Friendship, which you have prepared for so long" the adult sea serpent stated and smirked, when he heard a slight gulp from his son.
"I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT THAT!"
The black young snake with red pupils decorated on black sclera ran out of the door in a flash before his father could finish his talk.
The adult purple sea serpent folded his arms and laughed.
"Ah, those children, always focused on themselves"
In the meantime, a young black snake was in the bathroom desperately searching for his priceless toothbrush.
Plague frowned, trying to focus where he left it. He turned his head toward the bedroom.
"DAD!" the young black serpent yelled. "Have you took my toothbrush somewhere?"
"No sweetie" the voice coming from the bedroom assured, probably making his child's bed. "Anyway, what would I need your toothbrush for?"
"Dunno" the black serpent shrugged, as he fixed his black hair in front of the mirror. "You have more teeth than I do"
"Two fangs protruding from your mouth you inherited from the mother"
Plague growled, shaking a small flock of fleas from his body.
"Yeah, yeah I know"
The young black serpent glanced at the floor. His toothbrush was laying there.
"BINGO!"
With the wind, the snake boy grabbed his toothbrush and put a toothpaste on it without looking at it. Then he started brushing his fangs looking straight ahead.
The sounds of the door creaked in the bathroom. In them a little snake saw his father.
"Plaguepops, I remembered something" Steven spoke with a nervous smile. "I used your toothbrush for back clea-... Aw it seems you are using it right now"
Plague squeaked and spat out toothpaste from his mouth, then rubbed his tongue impulsively from top to bottom to wipe away settling fluff.
Anger prevailed in the boy's eyes, staring at his confused father.
"You're just telling me that right now?" he asked, taking out another little curl of purple hair.
"Forgive me Plaguepops" the adult sea serpent replied with a nervous giggle. "I couldn't find a normal brush, so I used yours..."
The young black serpent rolled his eyes and left the stool he was standing on.
"Forgot those formalities, dad" the black snake said. "I have 12 years old"
The adult sea serpent looked, how his son moves toward the living room. He followed him calmly.
Plague stood right by the door and put on his backpack and gazed at his parent again. Steven Magnet looked sad, as he looked like that on his only child.
"Dad..." the young serpent cooed just looking at him with his close emotional crisis. "I'm not leaving forever"
The purple sea serpent with orange hair and moustache rubbed his eyes from tears. He quickly embraced his son in that type, that the snake boy disappeared between his arms.
"Dad, stop it" Plague murmured with a sigh. "I will come back home"
The adult sea serpent finally released his son and glanced at him one more time. His eyes were very watery, as if he was changing into rain himself.
"Y-yeah I... I know... But I'm..."
"Scared about me?" the snake boy continued with a raised eyelid. "Pops, trust me, I will return home"
The sea serpent sniffled.
"I hope you will find some new friends and... better life for yourself" he continued with a nervous stutter. "G-good luck"
Plague sighed moving toward the exit door, but looked back once again to check on his father.
On Steven Magnet's lips appeared a soft smile.
He probably smiled at his son, who saw that and smiled back.
His father had to stop worrying. Even if Plague was born when his father was 35 years old.
He HAD to relax.
Since Plague was small, Steven has always been overprotective of him, even if he kept him most of the time at home. He forbade him to meet his friends because of the thought in his mind that most of them were bad people.
Even if they were innocent little children who couldn't even think of hurting someone else.
"See ya later" the young black snake sighed.
Plague laid his tail on the handle and glanced back.
"Yeah, see ya some other time" the adult sea serpent stated with a murmur.
The young black serpent sighed again.
Geez, has his father always been so overdramatic or just think so?
Author's Note
New chapter is out :)
The arrival
Plague emerged from the river and looked around, to make sure nobody in the forest watches him.
The young black serpent always did that when it seemed to him that someone was following him. The young creature did not know if it was just a premonition or a remnant of his ancestors, but reason still gave him such a task and he had to follow it.
He landed his tail ashore and began to walk forward.
Slithering across the woods of Everfree, the boy understood that he is not the only one who woke up. This was confirmed by the sounds of newly awake rodents.
In his district dominated squirrels, who composed a song in the nearby hollows of trees. Hares joined their song, creating a beautiful choir.
It was one of the very few occasions on which Plague had a chance to listen to it, because since he could remember, his father always kept him at home, fearing that his defenseless hatchling would be hurt by the wild animal.
He could listen to nature one last time a few months earlier, when his dad allowed him to do Hearth's Warming Day shopping with him, but then most animals became lethargic and "song" of the nature was a lot of weaker.
Plague smirked.
Nature was beautiful if it was treated well.
The young black serpent however, didn't had much time to listen.
There were several dozen minutes far to the school from his best dreams and he didn't like being late either.
With one simple murmur stated that it is better to focus on the road and not be deluded knowing what the Everfree forest is capable of.
Going through the woods, Plague was still strangely not satisfied.
With the movement of his hands, the young black serpent tried to sweep all the dirt off his shoulders despite the fact there was NO dirt on them. The reason was the nerves and excitement he began to experience knowing he was going to personally meet Princess Twilight and her student Luster Dawn.
Sweat began to pour out of young snake's head, paradoxically feeling that stress would not help him in all this. However, the knowledge that the princess might not like him stressed him even more.
Plague sighed and fixed his already wet black hair.
"It's going to be ok buddy!" the young serpent yelled to himself in his own mind. "JUST DO NOT MESS IT UP!!!"
The little boy's jaw with two protruding fangs began to tremble even more.
"What if I will mess it up?" he shook, while the blood in his veins became hotter. "What if they will think I'm a freak?"
Plague inhaled and expelled the air a few times.
"I need to think about something else... kittens? YES! Cute kittens are the good thing to think about!"
The young black serpent quickly closed his eyes at the thought of cute little kittens. Never telling anyone about it, Plague always wanted a cat.
Contrary to appearances, he could have one from his father. He even named the kitten Gallus after the Princess Twilight's guard.
The young snake felt disappointed, when he had to give up the adult cat to the shelter, when his father found scratches on his black scales. It didn't help explaining that the cat did it inadvertently, Daddy Steven still know best.
Sometimes Plague had enough of his father. It was good that he was leaving for school and did not have to listen to his parent's lamentation.
The boy's thoughts were suppressed when he hit something lightly and with dizziness fell on the grassy surface.
The young snake scratching its head turned its gaze towards this thing.
Plague paled, as he recognized this thing.
He came across a nest of bees. From the corner of his eye, he could see a large flock coming out of a small number of those honey insects. He had to accidentally wake them up and
The whole body of the little snake paralyzed, watching more bees coming out from the nest.
"Oh no, oh no, oh no" he panicked in his mind.
A swarm of bees formed into "smoke" and began to head toward the young snake.
"Don't make a scandal out of it" the young black serpent hissed with a nervous smile on his lips. "It was one little silly accident"
His words seemed to make the swarm more angry, as evidenced by increased buzzing from the honey insects.
"I think I should" Plague got up on his tail and adjusted his backpack. "RUN!"
The young serpent crawled under the bees and started to run right behind them. The boy ran so fast that he could be mistaken for a pegasus who was doing the trick, or even an alicorn that teleported to something.
Despite Plague's intentions, he quickly got tired.
The little snake looked back momentarily and gasped.
The bees were chasing him and showed no fatigue. They were literally just behind the boy's back.
Before he knew what was going on, he found himself among honey insects. He even felt them sting him.
"GET OFF ME!" the young black snake yelled waving his hands and losing contact where he was. The only thing he saw then were buzzing bees.
With insects on his body, he ran through several bushes until he collapsed with his head toward the ground.
His head recognized that it was a stone ground.
"Shoo!" he heard a deep voice coming out next to him, then hearing the sounds of bug spray.
It wasn't even a moment when he felt the sounds of those insects stop.
"Need a claw, kiddo?"
The snake looked around and took a deep breath, when he realized that he was right next to the School of Friendship.
Right next to the school in front of him stood middle-aged blue griffon in golden armor right above him. His helmet was decorated with a comb-like headdress, and a teal star was placed on his chest. He also had golden clawwear. His armor shone more thanks to the sun
It was captain of the royal guard.
The griffon smiled, when he noticed backpack on the new guest's back.
"You made it just in time" he said with a laugh. "The school meeting almost began"
The young black serpent's red pupils widened inadvertently covering his black sclera under them, and he slowly stood up like that still staring at the royal guard.
It was one of Princess Twilight's previous students and her own personal royal guard.
Gallus.
Plague took a heavy breath, puffing his chest in the process. He could not reveal that he was a loyal fan of the blue griffon since it would be useless in this situation.
"Greetings Mr. Gallus" the young snake started with a tough tone. "I am going to be a student of this school"
The blue griffon rolled his eyes.
"Everyone wants to study here" he stated, then a smirk appeared on his beak. "Don't worry, you'll probably get to this school"
The young black serpent's smile disappeared.
"Probably?" the boy highlighted with a confused expression. "What do you mean by that, sir?"
The blue griffon royal guard sighed.
"Most children in this school don't cause any problems" Gallus stated. "But... there are some exceptions"
Plague raised his eyebrow.
"Excuse me, WHO exactly do you mean, sir?"
Everything was interrupted by the school bell which drowned out the two standing nearest to the building. Gallus looked back with a smile at the school and glanced back at the young snake.
"Nevermind" the blue griffon trailed off with a nervous smile. "We can't talk now, duties call"
When he was supposed to enter the building, the blue griffon noticed that Plague was looking more nervous than he himself during first opening of this school 20 years earlier. The little boy probably saw that for the first time in his life.
With a sigh, he approached the young snake and placed his claw on the young creature's shoulder. The little serpent flinched, feeling a cold sensation in this place.
"Come on" the blue griffon royal guard assured with a sympathy in his voice. "It won't be so bad, the Princess will say her speech and check if you are suitable here, that will be all"
Plague looked at the middle-aged griffon and then glared at the stone floor.
"A-alright" the young serpent replied with uncertain tone. "It will only be a moment"
The young snake slithered toward the door with the adult griffon next to him.
Plague entered the school as he looked around the inside of the building. The corridor opposite which he stood was decorated with a beautiful purple long carpet. On the sides of it stood teenagers and younger children who gathered in groups segregated by a tall female pink hippogriff with light blue mane, which at the moment looked concentrated and concerned not being sure are all the children in the right groups.
"SILVERSTREAM!" the royal guard blue griffon shouted, as he waved his right claw to the hippogriff. "OVER HERE!"
The pink hippogriff turned the head to her left and gasped with a smile seeing her beloved griffon schoolmate.
"GALLUS!" she shouted, then quickly flied and embraced her old friend in a tight hug. "How much time has passed since we saw each other for the last time?"
"Dunno" Gallus shrugged in a joke manner with a smug smile. "Last time I saw you a year ago, I don't know about you"
They both laughed, until Silverstream stopped and looked at the young serpent standing next to the griffon.
"Aw, It looks like you brought your son" she giggled without hesitation, letting both Plague and Gallus to uncontrolably blush. "I must say that you are not alike at all, but what I say? It is the matter of genes"
"Good one, Silverstream" the blue griffon giggled, removing his helmet and then scratching back of his feathery head. "But that's not my son, I brought this kid because he would have be late for the appeal. He is such a small slouch"
Plague after hearing what his idol just said about him, crossed his arms and with his narrowed angry eyes, looked in a different direction. It sounded painful, even if Gallus didn't mean anything bad.
Then something, or rather somepony caught his attention.
Among those boring ponies and other creatures in a row, he saw her.
A beautiful young purple dragoness. Her eyes were blue as diamonds, though one or more accurately the left one was covered by her long green mane. She was just perfect and beautiful, or even more than beautiful. GORGEOUS!
Plague clutched his heart when he felt the heat causing it to beat faster. It wasn't hunger or fever, but the young boy was too young to understand what it was. He wanted to dispose of this feeling, which forced him to internally panic.
"Go away, go away!" he yelled in his mind, sweating more and more. "Can you just leave me alone?"
The young black serpent felt a firm claw rubbing his shoulder.
Like a cheetah, this strange feeling has passed, leaving the little snake slightly concerned.
Plague turned his gaze on where the limb was coming from.
"Hey bud, how about Mrs. Silverstream leading you to your group?" Gallus suggested, as he took his claw from the snake's shoulder. "That sounds cool, doesn't it?"
The young black serpent only nodded with a murmur and glanced at the pink hippogriff.
Silverstream at the speed of light offered her claw, for which the little snake shuddered. He had to admit that despite her age she was humorous.
Plague with better confidence grabbed her claw and along with her followed the left side of the crowd. The little being felt like the eyes of other future students were directed directly at him.
"Do not focus on them, they just never saw a big serpent like you" Silverstream advised with a warm smile. "Just pretend they're not here"
The young black serpent gulped, as he stopped along with the hippogriff in front of the left group. Even more eyes looked at the boy, which made him look like a ram in a flock of sheep.
"I will stand right next to you if you need anything" the pink hippogriff stated, as she did what just said, stood right next to him. "...and just in case you would've did something wrong"
Plague glanced at the pink hippogriff with raised eyebrow.
"What did you-"
"Shush" the young male earth pony whispered to him. "Princess Twilight has a speech"
The young black serpent glanced at the door to the corridor. In them he saw a purple alicorn with a dragon accompanied by her side.
The absence of acceptance
Author's Note
The new chapter is out :)
The absence of acceptance
Princess Twilight with a soft smile appearing on her face, began to walk ahead with dragon companion on her side, as the griffon royal guard followed them right in the shadow behind.
Everyone in the corridor bowed as soon as the purple alicorn passed by, as if the princess herself was the most valuable relic in the world. Plague didn't know what to do as soon as he realized that he was the only one standing left, but after a short tug on the claw, he was also forced to have a direct contact with the shiny floor panels.
"Ouch" the young black serpent growled, after feeling the pressure of his muzzle on the floor. He didn't need to know who did that, it was because the answer was bowing next to him. "Why have you done that, ma'am?"
"I had to" the adult pink hippogriff whispered almost without hesitation. "Otherwise you would find yourself in a pathetic situation involving a princess"
Plague raised his eyebrow and hissed toward Professor Silverstream not understanding what she actually meant.
"Pathetic situation?" he asked, as the intrigued hiss escaped his lips. "I'm listening"
Silverstream sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Under normal circumstances Princess Twilight Sparkle loves foals and despite appearances each of them treats as her own" the adult pink hippogriff stated softly, as she saw his bored expression. "But, you're a snake don't ya?"
"Yes?" Plague nodded reluctantly. "But pardon, what does it have to do with me?"
The adult pink hippogriff let out a low and long sigh. Before she could say anything, Princess Twilight, who was already standing along with her purple dragon on the other side of the carpet, coughed to force them all to stand at attention.
"Nevermind" Silverstream replied with a nervous grin visibly hiding something underneath. "The princess of friendship is just starting her speech"
Plague and Silverstream at the request of purple alicorn slowly stood on their limbs, though other creatures had risen a few seconds earlier. They both glanced at the royal who coughed several more times in progress, hoping that the students will stop talking to each other for a while.
A grave silence appeared, leaving the Princess of Friendship without doubts and letting her know that it was a good moment for her preface.
"Thank you, thank you!" the purple alicorn smiled, waving at everypony, who was in the room. "It is an honor for me that you have all gathered here!"
Twilight gazed at Spike handing her a piece of paper, which she covered and raised it with her magic. After running her eyes across the text several times, she continued.
"I also have the honor to welcome and meet each of the students who had a chance to appear and start learning at my school! The student has a duty to learn what the meaning of each element of harmony is about!"
Elements of harmony? Plague flinched at the mention of it. Sounds interesting...
"Each of the elements, Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyality and the most important one, Magic!" The Princess of Friendship stated with appearing solemnity. "... are all the qualities that a true friend should have and wisdom that will give you the best tips on how to proceed and deal with life"
Princess Twilight's expression didn't regret another warm smile.
"Although all these elements are hidden away from us in safest place, their representatives are still together!" The princess exchanged glances with her old friends who stood right next to her and Starlight. "Because friendship will be always around us!"
Alicorn's eyes focused back on the guests.
"That would be all I have to say!" she said before letting out a slight chuckle, hearing applause echoing through the corridor. "Let the students form a group, and I, together with Headmare Starlight, will assess whether you are suitable for studying at our school or not. While the teachers should gather in the staff room to discuss some matters"
Most of the adults along with Spike left the groups and went out into the corridor, while the youngest ones stood in a queue towards the princess and the new headmare of the school.
"Well" the adult pink hippogriff smirked, as she pushed Plague to the group. "Now it's your turn to change something, kiddo"
The young black snake groaned with frustration, approaching the queue on the far end and keep up with other's pace, though he had difficulty with it, the reason being his long tail, who often fell victim to stepping on it. With every approach and feel of pain from his tail, he heard purple alicorn's voice, mostly compliments.
"You're so cute and gentle filly!", even "You will be a good stallion!" or just "Accepted!"
After spending half an hour in a long line, finally it was his turn to present himself.
When Plague approached, he spotted that The Princess of Friendship was reading boringly the newspaper, repeating "accepted" under her breath and without even looking who was standing in front of her, while the unicorn looked with interest at the little snake, when she just noticed him.
"Hm, interesting" Starlight stepped closer to the young black serpent, seeing a bit of potential in him. "I never thought I'd ever see a snake in our school"
The mare made a big mistake saying this.
Princess Twilight, hearing one specific word paled like snow, slowly taking the newspaper out of sight. However, she jumped when she saw Plague being uncomfortably close to her hooves.
"SNAKE!" the purple alicorn quickly backed away and began to heavily breathe. "What a snake does at my school"
"Well, more sea serpent-viper hybrid specifically" Plague rolled his eyes with a smile, but that explanation didn't calm the grown purple pony.
"Throw it away from me!" the purple mare yelled louder, as she hyperventilated. "Guards, guards!"
After those words, two stallions in golden armor appeared next to their ruler.
"Princess Sparkle" Starlight tried to convince her former teacher with a sweet talk. "Don't treat him too harshly, that's still a little child"
"SNAKE IS SNAKE! NONE OF THEM IS DIFFERENT!" Twilight shouted in reply, before turning the head to her guards. "Throw this little devil out of here!"
The two ponies came up to the terrified little boy, who at the sight of them with fear in his eyes, tried to step back. However, both of them managed to grab him by the shoulders.
Plague writhed and screamed, as his eyes filled with tears and panic at once. Through the hazy vision, he could see how Princess Twilight glares at him with a smirk.
When the door slowly opened, the young black serpent with a final kick from the royal guards landed in the river on which the school was built.
