The Student from Warpla

by SparkStone

Part 24 - Bard

“Today belongs to Ocellus.”

That is what Valiant thought to himself. Recently, his body has been feeling tense. He worries if this would affect his day with Ocellus. Speaking of the Changeling, she stands in front of Valiant with a pamphlet in her possession.

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes, I’m alright.” Valiant assures her. “I’ve just been feeling a little hot lately.”

“Hmm? I thought the room had been a bit chilly actually. I had to wrap myself in blankets last night.”

“Is that so?” Valiant wafted the air, but couldn’t feel the coolness of it. Giving up on the temperature check, he looks to Ocellus and asks, “Well, anyways, what do you want to do today?”

“Oh, well, I know the Dune Star Culture Exchange is happening really soon, but I was hoping to go see it now. I know when the festival starts, There’ll be many ponies coming too, so I was hoping to get a preview.”

“Of course! I’m sure I can persuade them to let us enter early.” he assures her. Ocellus smiles and the two ready themselves for their pre-festival fix

---

They arrive at the lot occupied for the event. Valiant and Ocellus take a good look around to see a lot of stands and tents being set up. A variety of humans are moving around and working on the festivities. As the two kids walk around, Ocellus notices something peculiar about some of the humans. Specifically, the women and how different their chest is compared to the male counterparts. Curious, she tugs Valiant for more information.

“Valiant, do all of the human girls have big chests?”

Valiant paused with his head slowly turning to Ocellus, not sure how to react to her question. “When uh… girls come of age, they would, um… have their chests grow in...”

“I see...” Ocellus nodded, understanding. She looked at two women and noticed that their chest sizes were very different. “Valiant, is she still having her chest grow in?”

Valiant grabbed Ocellus and ran before the aforementioned women got a good look at them. After being taken to someplace where they couldn’t be seen, Valiant quickly said to Ocellus: “Ocellus, I’ve only heard this from my Shaman, but women from our culture tend to dislike comparing themselves and their… bodies in such a manner.”

“Oh, I see...” Ocellus nodded. “Sorry, I almost got us in trouble, didn’t I?”

“No, it’s alright,” Valiant assured her. “This is the point of the culture exchange. There’s so much to tell about my people, and this may be the best way to learn it… Myself included...”

Valiant recalled not too long ago, the simple pleasures of his people were unknown to him. His ignorance left him feeling like a fool and concerned about who his people are. What kind of people they are. These kinds of thoughts have been revolving around him more and more. Now it’s his chance to see what the Dune Star Tribe is willing to show the world, as well as to himself.

Ocellus noticed Valiant’s expression turned sour and decided to change the subject to perhaps something more personal instead. “Um, so Valiant… Do you prefer girls with… big chests?”

Valiant was quite shaken from her question regarding the matter, unsure if he how he should respond if she did.

“I’m just curious!” Ocellus stated. “It’s just that, I’ve never met a female human until today. Now that I have a good look at them, I think I can change into them.”

Ocellus suddenly does so, and changes her looks to that of a human. A form similar to the women from before, one that was taller than Valiant and with smooth black hair reaching her shoulders. She was quite a beauty, Valiant admitted, but the big issue, one that had Valiant reaching for a tent wrap and covering Ocellus, was that she was naked.

“Ocellus! You can’t be seen as a human without… clothing!” Valiant warned her.

“Oh! Sorry!” Ocellus apologized before transforming back. “I forgot that humans usually wear clothing.”

“It’s… okay.” Valiant sighed. “As for your question… It doesn’t matter that much.”

Ocellus looked at the blushing Valiant. Was he really that shaken at a naked human? Perhaps Valiant was indeed attracted to women with large chests.

“I like you in your normal form anyways. You don’t need to be like humans if you don’t want to.”

Ocellus smirks at Valiant’s clearly red face. Maybe he’s only being polite to spare her feelings. “Your face says otherwise.”

“I can’t help it,” Valiant states. “I’ve been like this for a few days.”

“Do you think you have a fever maybe? Let me check...”

Ocellus reaches out to Valiant’s forehead. He lowers himself for the young changeling to reach. Upon contact, Ocellus noticed something. Valiant was showing signs of love. Some sort of directionless infatuation going about. The symptoms were so clear, not just from his symptoms of heat and uncharacteristic shakiness, but the fact that she can taste it.

“How is it?”

“When did you start feeling like this?” Ocellus wondered.

Valiant scratched his head and looked back the past few days. “I believe it was when I was with Silverstream.”

“Only with her?”

“Well, it continued yesterday with Smolder.”

“And it continued on today?”

Valiant nodded, confirming that he was under some sort of loving influence, but that it also had no one directed to, or has been directed to specifically Silverstream and Smolder. Ocellus finds herself wanting the former rather than the latter. However, it’s strange to her that Valiant has such difficulty handling his emotions. He’s always been in control of himself even in tense situations, and for his love to run rampant and for him to be more jumpy than usual has her concerned.

She can tell that Valiant was being tortured by his emotions. It was rough on him, not knowing about it. She thought that perhaps if she could help Valiant take his mind off of his emotional state, then she can put him at ease at least for today.

“Valiant, why don’t we just look around? Maybe we’ll find something interesting,” Ocellus suggested.

The boy looked at her with a small smile. “Yes, of course.”

They ventured forth to see what the human festival was preparing. They passed by people in feathery costumes dazzled in pink and lime green leotards preparing for a parade of some sort. Dancers standing by a moving statue to hone their formations to heart. The various food stands offered Valiant and Ocellus to give a taste test. Most of which Valiant found unpleasant compared to the food back in Ponyville. Ocellus was having fun learning about the Dune Star Tribe and Valiant was also seeing his homeland in a newer light. There was much more to his people outside of the front lines.

They took a break at a bench which was close enough to see some sort of theatrical performance being rehearsed by musicians currently. Valiant took a bite from his Dune Star homeland sandwich, only to halt his tongue upon the taste. The contents were dry and also scratching his throat. Ocellus was lucky to have picked the Cactus Juice which was surprisingly good.

“Are you enjoying this, Valiant?”

“It’s nice. I am concerned that we may have spoiled the surprise of everything,” Valiant noted. “When we come here again with the others, I imagine that we won’t nearly have as much surprise as they do.”

“Well, at least we know what meals not to order while we’re here!” Ocellus jokes, which only had Valiant recall how miffed Silverstream was when he ate out without her. Perhaps she’ll let it slide since most of the food provided from his tribe is very terrible. At least to him.

As they sat around, one man with a guitar hanging around his back approached Valiant. He looked anxious as his eyes kept glancing around, avoiding direct contact with the young lad.

“Hi there!” he managed to say. “Um… Are you… You’re… Um… The Dragon Slayer, right?”

Valiant nearly choked on his sandwich upon hearing that dreaded title again. He looks up to the nervous man and nods. “I’m indeed, that person.”

“I-I just want to say, it’s a huge honor to be here!” he yelps out. “I want to thank you again for everything you’ve done!”

“Oh, um...” the boy goes quiet, not anticipating such a meeting.

“My village is grateful for your service! I hope… you come to see the show tomorrow, made in your honor!”

Valiant looked at the man and saw his earnest nature through his eyes. His body quavering in place as if he were meeting the king. In fact, he looked familiar now that Valiant had a good look at him.

“Have we met?”

“No, or maybe so,” he stammers. “You came and saved my village when it was being attacked by raiders. You saved everyone before your army arrived. I was shocked! All of us were, and we still remember your actions to this day.”

It wasn’t just Valiant who was surprised hearing this as Ocellus was drawn to the energy this human was giving off.

“Could you tell us more about Val- I mean… him?” Ocellus wondered.

His hands grasped together has a sparkle shimmered from his eye. “Where to start?” he said as he listed the incredible feats of his fighting. He mentioned how many people sang songs and tales of his work. Valiant noticed that this man could only talk about the work he did in towns, but not to the outsiders. A very one sided view of it, but it showed that his effort wasn’t simply for the army or the king. There were indeed times he saved someone. Ocellus was having a delight listening to what the people had to say about Valiant.

Despite the fun times they had, the man had something to come off his chest. “I was surprised to hear that… well, your army was disbanded. That you were to do your work alone. I mean, it’s amazing that you can do well without your own men! Though, it felt wrong to rely so heavily on a child.”

Valiant looked to the man, not expecting him to know about that. “That sort of news was released to the people?”

“There were rumors spread about. Then we heard that your services were put on hiatus, and that we would rely on the army more. I was wondering if you had died out there, but… seeing you here puts me at ease.”

Ocellus could tell that Valiant was brimming happily within as a smile almost creeps on his face. The night wasn’t too far away, but she wanted something else memorable for their time together here, something to help Valiant be put at ease for a while longer. “Sir, can you perhaps show us what you’ll be performing at the festival?”

“Oh! I can’t possibly do that without my fellow musicians. If I may be so bold, may I share you a song I made in your honor?”

Valiant wasn’t feeling so humble what with this man complimenting him the moment they met up, but he too was curious of what the man had written about him.

“If you would be willing to, I’d love to listen.”

A wide grin grows on the man and he pulls out his guitar and begins to play. The strums are soft and mellow to go with his poetic words.

In the land we call home
Lurks of war and such strife
A hero will rise
To protect us from demise!
His will filled with might
From Day till the night
No evil shall prevail
For his heart shall never fail!

His journey sets outward from Warpla to Equestria
Oh what shall he face? Oh Dragon Slayer!

Valiant, while still not feeling up to his old name, was delighted by what he had heard. This is one of the people he saved back then. And they didn’t forget that. While not everything with his relationship with his homeland is perfect, these moments help remind him that it’s not all bad. And that there’s still so much to learn from them.

“That was beautiful!” Ocellus stated. “But I do need to mention something.”

“What is it?” the man nervously wondered.

“Dragon Slayer personally likes to be called Valiant.”

“Oh! Is that so?” he realized. “My apologies for my ignorance! Though, that is a more fitting title. I did see you more of a Valiant hero more so than a Dragon Slayer.”

“Thank you, I think that’s why the name stuck with me,” Valiant jokes.

---

The two said their farewells to the musician and headed back to the hotel. On the way, Ocellus found Valiant to be in higher spirits than before. She felt happy knowing that she was able to help in some way.

“This was fun,” he said to her.

“Was it more fun than Silverstream’s and Smolder’s day?” Ocellus asked, bumping his arm.

“It’s not a contest.”

They both chuckled as they continued to their destination. Ocellus looked up to the night sky and said, “It’s funny how it’s the same night as others, but I don’t really want this night to end.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“Well, we won’t always get to go to a festival preview or have outings with just the two of us. And school doesn’t last forever. Once we graduate, we’ll be deciding what we want to do when we’re all grown up.”

“Right… Once we graduate.” Valiant repeated. “But, I’m certain that by the time we graduate, we’ll figure everything out.”

Ocellus smiled at his positive response. However, in the back of his mind, one belonging to the Dune Star Tribe, was his mission. A mission that won’t last until graduation. For his people, he will return with the knowledge the school is teaching him. He will have the knowledge necessary to help defend his tribe and save people like the kind man from before.

And when that time comes when he unearths the secrets necessary, he will have to say goodbye.

“It’s true though,” Valiant says to Ocellus. “It’s nights like these we really should appreciate.”

Author's Note:

It's a great feeling when writing once again becomes therapeutic rather than, well, nervously trying to write the next chapter.

Comments

[Redfish]

I just want to say Thank you. I have been dealing with all kinds of shit in college right now and this just made my day. Thank you.

[SparkStone]

10501749
I'm glad this brightened your day!

[Unknown 1]

It's good :)

[leerye2227]

Do you mostly have a schedule on when you update or its just random?

[SparkStone]

10512950
Random. Other stuff I gotta do
I do have plans though, so the story isn't entirely directionless.

[leerye2227]

10522632
It's ok, your life is more important