• Published 28th Sep 2020
  • 350 Views, 36 Comments

My Life As A Teenaged Ocellus - ItsGriffy

Ocellus - a bugdroid, has to balance her school life while managing a stable mainframe.

  • ...

First Day - Worst Day

Ocellus was a short thing, not exactly manufactured to have the height of King Thorax, or the even greater height of Princess Celestia, the current ruler of Equestria. Of course, in spite of this newfound information, she wasn't exactly one of those creatures built from flesh and blood. Well, she was something quite different, in replacement of something so. She was a robot, or what Professor Pharynx liked to call, a bugdroid. She figured it wasn't the most clever name of all, but that wasn't important. Being a Professor wasn't a glamorous thing, or so she was told.

Back to the aforementioned topic, she was something far more unique than somecreature made up of something so... destructible. Mentioned already, but for a second time, she was, in fact, a robot. Her eyes glowed the same way changeling eyes glowed, but brighter. Her chitin looked nearly the same way changeling chitin looked, but tougher. And there were also -a notable change- jet black grooves here and there around her forelegs, abdomen, hind legs, and ears, showing where her joints and moveable areas were.

Sure, she looked like a toy, but really, she was something very different than that. She was evolution. And of course, evolution thought better than the past. They looked to the future, so that newer phases of evolution could be formed. Ocellus thought to the future just like she should; she was a very obedient piece of technology, and easy to work with, as well. That was something her creator was very, very proud of. He thought highly of himself, and highly of her.

Now, as they reached the entrance to the School of Friendship (with countless other students and guardians surrounding them, intending to enter just as well), Professor Pharynx adjusting his goggles and making sure his labcoat collar was straightened, he looked down at Ocellus, a proud grin at his lips. "You ready for your first day of school, 'Cellus?"

Ocellus blinked her glowing, turquoise eyes, processing the Professor's question as a blue circle on one of her metallic temples blinked a little bright yellow. "Y-Yes, Professor Pharynx," she answered, in a hesitant voice. Ocellus' voice was a little high pitched, and in addition, with her artificial manufacturing, it had a little bit of a deeper, digital tinge behind it.

Pharynx stared. It wasn't like his little bugdroid to stutter, or sound unsure. "What's wrong, Ocellus? Ain't ya excited for your first day?"

"I-It's actually 'aren't' and 'you,' Professor... and... I..."

Ocellus blinked again, the circle on the side of her ear flashing yellow once more. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. After all, this was probably just a system error. "I-It's nothing, Professor," she lied, giving a small, crooked smile to assure that she was fine. Pharynx's gaze softened for a fraction of a moment.

"Well, if you're sure."

The doors opened, and the two, along with a number of other creatures and their guardians all entered the school. Ocellus looked around in a self-conscious manner, getting lost in the hysteria of it all. Her circular chip blinked yellow, then red, a little, at the sight of so many other students. So many new personalities to get to know, and keep logged in your memory circuit. So much social mess to get immediately shoved into. It made her ears flop, or, rather, lower, the mechanical whirring noises following said action.

Just before she knew it, Professor Pharynx was no longer by her side. It was most likely he got lost in the crowd, with the last three percent suggesting that maybe some other thing happened. She didn't know; her cloud was a bit clogged up at the moment. She had never felt such unease in her short life, not until now, that is. It wasn't until this day that she had been pushed into something the couldn't predict the gravity of.

After all, since she was told she'd be taken to Equestria to be taught in its school district, specifically at the School of Friendship, no less, she had already predicted her own little plan, in her own little bubble of unlimited knowledge she had. But as it turns out, her "unlimited knowledge" turned out to be strangely... limited, for the first time. It scared her. A lot.

Using her environment to her best advantage, the one thing her program suggested she'd probably do is walk around and get to know her surroundings better before thinking too much ahead. She was given a lot of rope to hang herself, allegedly. No matter, however, she continued trotting, looking around almost frantically for her creator.

"Why am I here?"

She saw a tall, lanky orange dragon storm through the crowd in a huffy manner, a snarl on her face. Ocellus was a little less intimidated by this dragon, since she had done her research from the small little source in her program. She knew a lot about most creatures, and therefore was able to define them from a visual approach. Though, she found it best not to approach and talk to the creature at the moment, but instead just listen in. See if any given information would be any help as of right now.

Another taller, blue dragon with indigo spines and medium legnth, curled, white horns came stomping through as she grabbed the younger dragon by the wrist, violet into blue interiored wings flared. "Because I ordered you to be!" She scowled. The orange dragon snatched her arm away, folding it and her other arm over her chest. She looked frustrated, really, she did. It really didn't look like she was cooperating with whoever that other dragon was.

Ocellus figured it was her time to leave the situation and continue looking for the Professor, as it turned out virtually none of that gained information was going to be helpful in the current moment, unless her and the dragon were to see each other again.

"'Cellus, there you are," a familiar, gruff voice called. Ocellus turned around and bumped straight into Pharynx. The Professor stumbled back a little, due to the unexpected bump from... well, a hunk of metal. Of course, Pharynx wouldn't want anyone calling her that, but it was definitely the truth. "C'mon, we gotta go introduce ya to the Headmare." Ocellus looked around, scanning her surroundings for the Headmare and fabled Princess of Friendship. Pharynx shook his head. "Nah, we gotta go to her office. She'll be in there waiting for us."

Ocellus blanked for a second, not quite understanding what her Professor meant by that. "Wait, but..." She paused for a second, wracking her brain for a single memory of where she's seen any other creature and their parents and/or guardians making their way to privately speak to the Headmare at this current moment. Failing once again, she decided to continue. "...isn't anyone else meeting the Headmare? Personally?"

Pharynx shook his head again. "Nope. Just us. Remember, 'Celly, you ain't like any other student in here. You're special. You wanna know why?"

Ocellus nodded her head. "Because-"

Pharynx interrupted her, patting her head gently. "Because you're made out of metal. Mind completely and carefully shaped by the best technology your Professor could manage. And this maaakes..."

He dragged out his last word, waiting for Ocellus to finish for him. The bug-droid was very amused at this, giggling quietly. "It makes a bug-droid, Professor."

"Good girl."

Pharynx patted down Ocellus' artificial light pink gossamer fin again, reassuring Ocellus just a bit more about this conundrum. Everything was going to be alright, as long as her Professor was by her side. "Now let's go," he said, turning around and trotting off. Ocellus caught up with him, her joints making that very same whirring sound as she trotted with him.

Once the two made it upstairs and into the Headmare's office, Ocellus grew a little more nervous than she was before. Though, she was able to identify the Princess of Friendship as easily as she wanted to (she was a very open book on the internet), she had absolutely no idea how she'd react to having a robotic student. Something almost just as predictable as any regular creature, but twice as dangerous. What if she didn't want to take a chance on her anymore? What if... what if...

"Come in, come in," she said, clopping her hooves in excitement, as Ocellus could see from the door ajar. Instead of what Ocellus thought the Headmare would feel, she actually looked quite joyful and excited to see her. It was something entirely new to Ocellus; usually creatures weren't generally as accepting to creatures like her. To objects like her, anyways.

"Princess Twilight," Pharynx nodded, his eyes blinking closed as he bowed his head, and then opening as he looked back up. Twilight Sparkle, Ocellus thought. Well, it was understandable that all her greatest fears about said lavender alicorn was proven wrong. She was the Princess of Friendship, after all. It's no wonder she'd be so welcoming. It was as if ten pounds of her own metal body had just lifted from Ocellus' shoulders.

"Hello, Prince, and... Professor Pharynx, heheh. I see you've brought our new student here. Hello there, Ocellus."

It wasn't until Twilight leaned at an angle and waved at her that Ocellus realized she was hiding behind her Professor. Ears drooping a bit in embarrassment, Ocellus stepped forward, her joints clicking as she did so, and stood in front of the Headmare. "Hehe. It's nice to see you here at the School fo Friendship. I've never taught a changeling before- much less a robot. But I'm really glad your Professor brought you here. And as much as I am glad to see new faces, that isn't exactly the only reason why."

Ocellus frowned in thought for a moment, as she looked back at Pharynx. Said Professor nodded, and placed a hoof on Ocellus' cold, metal, rose red and white spotted elytra. Twilight nodded at some other creature behind her, and before such action, Ocellus could already feel two more presences standing in the doorway. Her wings made a mechanical buzz as she turned her head to see, and the creatures she saw in question happened to be the two dragons she had seen interact before.

This new event shocked her, but even still, she looked back to the headmare, legs and arms practically stuck together in an attempt to appear diplomatic to match every other older creature in the room. All except... that dragon.

Said orange, scaly creature huffed as she stomped into the room, arms crossed. Ember was leading her inside, step by step, gaze firm at the Princess before her. "Princess Twilight," she bowed, much like Professor Pharynx had when he entered with Ocellus. Said bug was confused as to why these two curious creatures were standing here. Just the young dragon's presence sparked little tinges of angst within her, making her feel small. She wasn't familiar with that kind of feeling- not at all. In fact, she thought just as highly of herself as Professor Pharynx did. Very compelled to assist and, quite frankly, be better than the one she was assisting. But even so, this entire situation made her feel... incompetent.

She dreaded feeling incompetent.

She felt Pharynx's hoof tap lightly on her elytra again, and when she looked at him with unease, she sensed that maybe her chip was glowing a color that signaled she may have been upset. She really didn't like that chip. She didn't like being easy to read. She was made to be predictable- likely for the safety of other creatures. Of course, she understood that, and being a trifling ways more advanced than they were, she figured they had to have some way to get ahead and put their best hoof forward.

With this realization, she looked forward again, standing as strong as she could.

"Ocellus, meet your new client. Smolder, this is your support-bot."

Ocellus blinked again. "Support Bot?" she thought. "But Professor Pharynx didn't mention anything about a 'support-bot'. Is that what I am? Is... is that a new command?"

Fear began to touch down on her circuits again, filling her cloud with all these cognitive distortions. This dragon? Support bot? What did that even mean? Ocellus had never even heard of that before. Much less being one.

"I know you're probably really confused," Twilight continued, a sympathetic look on her face as she cast a knowing gaze to both of the creatures. She gestured to Pharynx and Ember, who both backed away and allowed their students to stand up front. "And that's okay. We'll work through that, starting now. I'm guessing you both are seeking more information about what in the world a support bot is," Twilight chortled, swivelling on her office chair and stacking together a few papers she had printed out beforehoof.

"For your information, a support bot- Ocellus being one of the first in manufacturing, mind you- is an android built in the form of a creature, so that they may put on a more friendly face to those uncomfortable with working with robots. They are designed to help you with whatever disabilities or mental, or emotional issues you may have- enter Smolder, for example." She gestured to the orange dragon, who in turn, had smoke pluming from her nostrils as a response. "Smolder here has a bit of an... issue, I've been told. Aggression issues. And Ocellus, you're in charge of helping her regulate those issues. Be it by lending a helping hoof with her things on her way to every class, or have access to helpful information on some secretly incrypted software, or just be a good friend in general.

And Ocellus," Twilight skipped level-headedly out of her office chair, putting a hoof on Ocellus' shoulder with a kind smile. "That's how you're going to help Smolder, here. And I have a feeling you'll be the best at what you're assigned. Professor Pharynx has told me a lot about you!"

Ocellus looked to Pharynx with a hurt look, more susprised and anxious than anything that her Professor hadn't told her anything about this beforehand. Sure, she could adapt to virtually anything you would throw at her, but she would've still appreciated the heads up!

"And Smolder," she watched as Twilight walked over to the dragon, who in turn, just turned away from her. Twilight chuckled nervously. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll fit in just fine at the School of Friendship. I hope you'll find lots of great friends that'll appreciate you just for who you are. Including Ocellus, here."

Both glanced at each other, the two equally as reluctant.

Twilight only brushed this off, clapping her hooves together. "Now, first class is about to be in session, you two. Remember, I want you both sitting next to each other at all times. And when there are no classes taking place, I want you two staying close together, alright?"

Ocellus looked at Smolder, her glassy, compound eyes making a clicking sound as she surveyed the dragon.

This was going to be a very long semester.