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How It All Began


by dr_tomoe

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"Now remember," the Wocky said to his son. "We can't keep moving every time you get into a fight."

      "I know..." the young Wocky replied, not really paying attention.

      "I mean it, son!" he said, "This is the fourth time now! Please, try to keep yourself under control!"

      "I'll try," the Wocky said, looking away and still mostly ignoring the warnings his father was giving.

      The elder Wocky sighed. "Just... try. Okay? Just promise me that?" The desperation in his voice was palpable.

      "I will, Dad," the younger Wocky said, already walking out the door, the warnings of his father already leaving his mind as he headed onto the streets of Neovia.

      Slowly, the Wocky started to make his way across town, heading for the Neovia Academy for a continuing attempt at having an education. The fourth time he had to go to a new school after what he had done.

      At first, due to his high intelligence, he was sent to Faerieland Academy. But intelligence was only part of the matter, and all of his instructors said he was a troubled youth, always seeming to get into fights. After a while, there was a huge fight involving him and four other young students. While he claimed that they attacked him first, they were the ones who were badly hurt, and he ended up expelled.

      After that, his family moved again, and this time tried the Brightvale School for Gifted Youngsters. The incident at Faerieland Academy was kept sealed, so they didn't have his record of troubles. That lasted only about a month before he was once again expelled for getting into fights. And like before, the students he had gotten into a fight with were badly hurt.

      His family had to move again. And this time, they decided that maybe he would be better off in a public academy. He was intelligent, but maybe what he needed more was better social skills. So they moved to Happy Valley to enroll in Happy Valley Elementary.

      That lasted three days before the he sent the entire Skiing Team to the Neopian Hospital for a week.

      After that incident, there was almost no other place that would take him in. All except one. Neovia Academy. His father at first questioned why they would overlook his record, but figured that with all of the strange happenings that occur within the Haunted Woods, having a single troubled student probably wasn't high up on their list of worries.

      Either way, it didn't matter to the Wocky. They always asked why he kept getting into fights, and he always said the same thing. They started it.

      What all of the reports never said, though, that it was always the bullies that he fought with. He wasn't the type to go out picking fights, but every time he saw someone strong picking on the weaker students, he just snapped and got involved. And every time, they wouldn't back away, so it always ended up in fights.

      He couldn't help it if bullies were stupid and he was tougher then they were. They needed to learn to pick on someone their own size!

      The Wocky kicked a rock that was in the road down the street, and lightly brushed his paw against the emblem of Neovia Academy that was on his shirt. He couldn't help himself. He just hated to see those weak kids getting picked on with no way to defend themselves. And now, even though he didn't need to constantly be reminded by his dad about it, he did know that he was on his last chance. If things didn't work out here at Neovia Academy, then he'd never be able to do pretty much anything. No other school would take him.

      He kicked another rock in the road and it hit a tall wooden fence, blocking off an alleyway on an adjacent street. He was about to continue on, paying no mind to the area around him, when he heard something coming from behind it.

      "I told you to gimme your lunch money!"

      His ears perked up at hearing that. It was an all-too familiar phrase to him. A phrase commonly spoken by bullies picking on their prey.

      His paws clenched into fists. He could already feel his blood boiling just by hearing that one sentence. It was coming from behind the fence.

      Forgetting his promise to at least try to avoid getting into fights, the Wocky rushed over to the fence and started looking for a way to climb up. Fortunately for him, there was a stack of boxes close to it that he was able to ascend, almost reaching the top of the fence.

      When he reached the top, he could see the scene unfolding before him. Sure enough, it was something he recognized. There were three of them, and they were standing in a semi-circle around a scared Chia that they had backed against the wall. There was a Kougra in the middle, apparently the leader, and he was flanked by a Grarrl and a Techo.

      He was just about to jump into the fray, when something gave him pause.

      All four of them were wearing the same uniform as he was. The uniform of Neovia Academy. If he got involved, the school would hear about it, and he would be expelled for sure. Even his dad would have to be impressed that he got expelled before he even started. It would be a new record for him.

      "But... but... I already gave you my lunch money!" the Chia said, starting to sob.

      "What? This?" the Kougra said, holding up a few Neopoints in his hand, "This can't even buy a Bar of Chocolate! This can't be all of your lunch money!"

      "Please... leave me alone...." the Chia said, shrinking back against the bullies.

      "Fine... If this is all you got, then it's all you got," the Kougra said, pocketing the Neopoints. "It's just not enough though, so we'll just take the rest out of your hide!" The Kougra looked over to his two henchmen, "We'll start with an atomic wedgie and then go from there."

      His two cohorts nodded and started to encroach on the scared Chia, when he couldn't take it anymore.

      "Why don't you three pick on somebody your own size!" the Wocky said, hopping over the fence and landing on his feet.

      The three bullies turned to see who had intruded on their meeting, noticing the Wocky was wearing the same uniform as they were, but not recognizing him.

      "Who in Moltara are you?" the Kougra said, eyeing the new arrival, "You must be new, so I'll go easy on you and explain things. My name is Casimaro, and I rule Neovia Academy. Whatever I say goes. So if you know what's good for you, you'll just walk away." Casimaro stopped for a moment. "AFTER... you pay a ten thousand Neopoint fine for getting in my business."

      "I got a better idea," the Wocky said, "How about you stop what you're doing now before you get hurt."

      "Funny..." Casimaro said, "That's just what I was about to say. Get him, boys!"

      ***

      "Are you okay?" the Wocky said to the Chia.

      "I'm okay... just a little shaken up, that's all," the Chia replied. "That was amazing, though. No one has ever helped me before."

      The Wocky scoffed. "It's not like they were tough or anything."

      The fight between them had barely lasted three minutes before he had sent Casimaro and his two flunkies crying for the hills. "We're telling!" The Kougra cried out as he fled.

      Still, it made the Wocky sigh a bit. "Guess I'm expelled before my first day," he said, exasperated. "I just... couldn't stand the thought of those bullies getting away with it."

      "Expelled?" the Chia said. "Why would you be expelled?"

      "Cause I always get expelled when I get into fights like that," the Wocky said. "They tell the Headmaster or the Principal, and then I get expelled for causing fights."

      The Chia looked up at him with a small smile. "Well," he said, "not this time! My dad is the Headmaster at Neovia Academy. They won't believe whatever lies they tell him. Not as long as I'm around!"

      The Wocky gave a surprised look to the Chia. He was honestly speechless. This was the first time anyone he had defended had stood up for him. "You said this happens often?" the Wocky finally said. "You need to stand up for yourself! Defend yourself!"

      The Chia looked a bit nervous. "I'm... not really the type. Unless you wanted to teach me. I mean, I don't have a lot of friends since my dad is the Headmaster. Everyone thinks they'll get more homework if they're around me. Will..." The Chia looked up to his defender. "Will you be my friend?"

      The Wocky blinked for a moment, and then let out a small smile. "Sure, kid. I have a hard time making friends too. What's your name, by the way?"

      "Hubrid..." the Chia said. "Hubrid Nox."

      "My name is Magax," the Wocky said.

      The Chia laughed a bit. "What kind of name is Magax, anyway?" he said with a slight giggle.

      "What kind of name is Hubrid?" the Wocky replied, also starting to laugh.

      And laugh they did. For over a minute, the two of them laughed in the alleyway. "You know, Hubrid?" Magax said, taking the hand of his Chia friend, "I have a feeling this is the start of a beautiful friendship..."

      (Many years later...)

      A lone figure stood atop a hill in the Haunted Woods at a lonely grave. The stone bearing the image of slain warlock, Hubrid Nox.

      "....Rest in Peace, Hubrid..." Magax said quietly, before walking away.

The End

 
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