//------------------------------// // Prologue- How It All Began // Story: Bravery of the Stars // by Phase Nexus //------------------------------// “Mom! Mom!” A small colt with blue eyes, cream-covered fur, and a dark red mane and tail, runs through the hallway of the small house, a scroll held in his blue magic aura. He runs into the kitchen, bursting with excitement. There he finds his mother. A unicorn mare with tan fur, a black and a black and white mane making breakfast. Her cutie mark is in the shape of a red heart with a pulse line going across it. Heart Rate, my Mom. She turns to look at me, a look of curiosity in her blue eyes. “North? What’s got you so worked up?” I thrust the scroll towards her with my magic, “It came! Look!”  She takes the scroll from me, opening it. She reads it aloud. “Dear North Star, It is with great joy we write to you saying we have approved your application to Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns!” She reads, getting excited herself. “Oh North, that’s amazing!” She says, pulling me into a hug.  I hug her back as she continues reading the letter. “We have taken the liberty to include two tickets to Canterlot for you and your Mother so you may come to take your entrance exam in three days' time.” She takes the tickets out of the letter, setting them all to the side. “Oh my little star, I knew you could do it! Ever since you got that cutie mark I knew you were going to be amazing.” She exclaims, pulling me into a tight hug. “Thanks Mom,” I say, hugging her back. I look down to my flank, seeing my mark. A blue six-pointed star, with a longer bottom point and white and black whisps behind it, almost looking like fire. “I promise I’ll make you proud.” “Oh my Little Star. You already have. And I always will be…” “Are these ponies serious,,?” I look back at the judges, their silent judging stares boring into me. I look back at my Mom, who gives me an encouraging smile, but even she looks unsure.  Which is understandable as it seems my entrance exam is to hatch a freaking dragon egg. I look over the egg, it's a reddish grey and covered in dark red spots. I take a deep breath. Okay North, think. What do eggs need? “Heat…” My horn lights, enveloping the egg in my aura. I focus, a relatively simple spell of raising the temperature, but I have to keep focused to keep it from spreading past the egg, and potentially catching the cart it’s on ablaze.  It takes a great deal of focus, but I’m able to do it, sweat dripping from my brow. The egg is surrounded by a soft red heat, but nothing is changing. Oh come on smart guy, what are you missing? I think back as far as I can, what was it that pegasus filly said in her class report about chickens? “The baby chicks won’t come out of their shells unless they get plenty of heat, and love.” Love…  I look over the egg, gently lowering it from the cart and to my level. I step towards it, feeling the heat radiating off it.  “I really hope this works…” I mutter to myself. I lean in, placing a kiss on the top of the egg, where it’s coolest. “Come on, come out and see the world.” I encourage it, setting it back on the cart and dispelling my magic. I step back, the room thick with suspense. At first, nothing happens, the entire room is silent. But then… CRACK My eyes go wide. A pale red tail breaks through the shell. It falls apart, revealing a pale red dragon with crimson spines. She looks up at me, blinking her pink eyes, letting out a happy trill. “I did it… I DID IT!” I yell, jumping in place. My Mom scoops me into a hug and the judges applaud me, but suddenly go quiet when a new voice speaks up. “My my, I never thought I’d see that again.” I look up in confusion, seeing a towering white alicorn standing next to me. “P-Princess Celestia?” I ask in disbelief.  She looks at me, giving me a smile. “It seems my little ponies are just full of surprises.” She looks at my Mom. “You must be very proud Dr. Heart Rate.” Mom smiles, ruffling my mane. “More than you could know Princess. He’s worked so hard, ever since he could first use his magic.” “Is that so?” The Princess crouches down, so she can speak to me. “To get a special talent in magic, you must be very strong. Tell me North Star, what do you want to do with your magic.”  I think for a moment, looking up at Mom. She gives me a loving smile. I look back to the Princess, a determined smile on my face. “My Mom is a doctor, she spends all day helping ponies feel better. And my Dad joined the guard to keep ponies safe. Ever since I was little, I wanted to be just like them! I want to use my magic to help everypony I can, and be the best Hero in Equestria!” Celestia smiles. “That’s a very admirable goal for a colt, you must be very brave if you wish to accomplish it.” “I’m super brave!” I grin up at her. “Nothing scares me!” “Well in that case,” she stands up. “North Star, I’d like to offer you the position of my second personal student here at the school.”  “Wha-!” I gasp out. “A-Are you sure?”  “Of course. The exam is merely a test of will. So long as a student does their best to hatch the egg, they pass. Only one other student has ever actually gotten it to hatch.” She explains, looking at the baby dragon as it hops onto my back. “The fact that you managed to do it, speaks not only of your capabilities, but also your determination. As my student, you’ll receive the best teaching I can provide you, but I’ll also expect the best in return.” I look at the baby dragon sleeping on my back, and to my Mom. She nuzzles the side of my face, encouraging me.  I turn to the Princess, a confident smirk on my face. “I won’t let you down Princess. You can count on that.”