A/n: A new story! I can't believe i'm finally doing this. XD I've been wanting to do this story for so long~ I can't wait to see how this story does. I don't usually see many snake!Arthur so i thought i would do it. In this story i will warn you that Arthur brings out his 's. so there's going to be a lot of those. if you all don't like it, i could just use one s for his speech. I just think it makes it more realistic. (Though it is a pain when I write it...)

Disclaimer: I own nothing mention in this story. I just came up with the plot line.

Anways, i'm done. I hope you all enjoy~

"Alright, Alfred, you can go where you want. Just don't walk off too far."

"'Kay!" A seven year old boy with the name of Alfred immediatelty began running, barely remembering to stop and turn back around. "Thanks, mom!" He waved at his mother with a smile, and she smiled back before walking towards a different direction.

Earlier that morning, Alfred's had family decided that they would go to a new event a small nearby village was hosting—the freak show. It was one of the first times the area would be experiencing this form of entertainment.

"Now, where to go..." Alfred looked around and his eyes soon rested on a small worn tent. On the front the word 'Naga' was written. He tilted his head to the side, a little interested, having no idea what a naga even was.

He glanced back and saw that none of the small amount of people present were paying any attention to the small tent. Was it really that boring?

Despite this last thought, he started heading towards the tent, hesitating slightly when he reached the entrance. What if there was a big scary monster? What if its cage was open and it attacked him? His family would be so worried if he just up and vanished! He couldn't do that! He wanted to be a hero, and heroes didn't upset people! But still...what could be inside?

Eventually curiosity got the best of him and he went inside, though he had to force himself not to run back out. It was dark and creepy and, surprisingly, he couldn't see anyone else. Alfred strained his eyes against the gloom, but he really was alone. The only other thing there was a cage a little bit ahead of him

Being alone with a cage holding God knew what felt more than a little ominous. A shiver ran down Alfred's spine, and he stepped back. This was just too much for him. He had to leave. Now.

Just as he was about to turn away, he saw a pair of glowing green eyes staring at him from a darkened corner of the cage. They almost looked like the eyes of a snake, the pupils being a little more rounded.

Alfred's breath hitched. He stood there, feet refusing to move.

"Who'ssss there...?" The voice, though quiet and drawn out, sounded just like a small boy, not at all what Alfred had expected.

Alfred didn't know whether to answer or not; his nerves were all shaken up. He gulped and took a small step forward.

"I-I'm Alfred. Who are you?"

The emerald eyes narrowed in suspicion. Oh no, did he offend him? What if he attacked or something!

Alfred was growing more and more uneasy by the second, and the option of running suddenly seemed very appealing. The boy spoke up again, however, stopping him before he even moved.

"I don't sssee why I have to tell you who I am. It'sss not like people like you care, anywaysss..."

Alfred frowned. What did he mean by 'people like you'? And why did the boy keep bringing out his 's'? Was it a speech impediment?

"What?" he asked, confused, almost forgetting that he was supposed to be scared. Almost.

"Don't play dumb! The only reassson you're here isss to look at the people and animalsss caged up here asss if they only exist for your own entertainment! Asss if we don't have feelingsss, too. People like you make me sssick..." The voice grew softer and softer until it was barely above a whisper.

Alfred eyes widened, his mouth falling open slightly. When his mother took him to the show, he hadn't known what kind of place it would be. Now he knew, and he was starting to wonder if he had been better off not knowing. Though, he didn't really understand why someone would lock people up. What was so interesting about other people that you even had to pay money to see them?

"Wait a second...Why would they cage up regular old people?"

"Huh. You don't know, do you? You really are ignorant..."

Alfred glared at the person on the other side of the tent. He wasn't ignorant! ...Whatever that meant.

He was about to retort, but then he realized the eyes were getting closer. Panicking, Alfred backed away until he was almost outside the small shelter.

He stared. The voice's owner had moved out from the darkness, and Alfred could see him clearly. The boy only looked a little older than him, maybe around eleven. His hair was light, untamed, and his skin was pale. Alfred's eyes traveled downwards, and he had to wonder if this was some sort of trick. The boy had no legs. Instead, there was a tail, long and clad in green, looking as if it would belong to a snake. It glittered slightly in the sunlight that managed to make its way inside the tent.

The boy was looking at him with what seemed to be hatred. His thin tongue would flick out occasionally, just like a snake's...

"Now do you underssstand? They don't jussst lock up regular people," the boy hissed, putting emphasis on the word 'regular', "they lock up freaksss, or at least that'sss what you people like to call usss. They lock usss up because of the way we look. They look down on usss as if we are monstersss. In truth, they are the real monstersss. I despissse every last one of them."

No way...no way! His mom wouldn't bring him to this kind of place...would she? No! Of course not! Then why...Why would people do this?! Sure, he was kind of intimidated by the boy in the small cage, but he wouldn't lock him because of it!

Alfred stared at the other with complete sympathy. How awful...Being locked up just because of the way they looked, he couldn't imagine it.

The blond boy frowned, seeming almost confused . Why did the child in front of him look so...sad?

"What'sss with that look? Ssshouldn't you try to run away, or maybe mock me like the ressst?" he asked harshly, causing Alfred to flinch away.

"N-no! I would never...It's not your fault you look the way you do. If I want to be a hero, I have to care and be nice to everyone, including you," Alfred said resolutely with a proud smile.

The older of the two humphed and crossed his arms. "Yeah, right...All of you are the sssame..."

Alfred's eyes narrowed in slight anger. For some reason, he didn't want this snake boy to think of him like that. Sure, other people were mean to him in the past, and there was a good chance people would continue to treat him badly, but that didn't mean he could say that about Alfred.

"What do you mean? Don't say that kind of thing just because people treated you badly! If you do, then that makes you no better than them."

It was the other boy's turn to glare now. "Don't you dare compare me to the likesss of them!" the naga growled, his tongue flicking out in anger.

"Well, it's true! If you treat everyone like they're all bad, then you're doing exactly what they're doing! Not getting to know them and judging based on looks!" The two glared at each other until, eventually, the older of the two relented, turning his eyes to the ground.

"It's hard to trussst other people when you've been laughed at and treated badly almossst all your life..." he whispered, curling in on himself as he took a sort of sitting position on the ground. Alfred could see him trembling slightly. His eyes softened, and he took a few steps towards the cage.

Hearing the soft patter of footsteps, the boy quickly went away from the ground to meet the deep blue eyes of the younger child. Alfred gave him a soft smile and went the rest of the way towards the cage, knelling down to the other's level and putting a hand on his shoulder, making the boy jump slightly.

"I'm sorry that you had to live like that...but if you'll let me, I could be your friend."

The older boy stared, eyes wide.

"You...You would actually be friendsss with a freak like me?"

"No, I wouldn't." The snake boy glared and opened his mouth to retort; what Alfred said next stopped him completely. "But I would like to be friends with the non-freaky boy in front of me." Alfred smiled at the naga's surprised expression. "Oh, come on, don't tell me you let those other people convince you that you're freak. The person I see is far from it."

The boy smiled, and Alfred was shocked to see tears beginning to roll down his cheeks.

"What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?"

The older shook his head. He let out a small laugh.

"No, no, you didn't sssay anything wrong. I'm just sssurprisssed that there'sss people out there like you." The boy let out a few more chuckles of laughter before reaching up and wiping the tears from his eyes. "Thank you. I would like that."

"That's great! Now we're officially friends! So, will you tell me your name? You never said what it was."

The other's eyes widened, and he blushed slightly as if embarrassed by his earlier rudeness. "It'sss Arthur. Arthur Kirkland. And you sssaid your name wasss Alfred, right?"

"Yup! Alfred F. Jones is the name," Alfred said, bowing down jokingly. Arthur chuckled and shook his head.

Alfred sat cross legged on the ground, his hands in his lap. "So... Do they usually just keep you in there?" Arthur frowned and nodded.

"Mossst of the time. They have to let usss out sssometimes to exercissse so that we don't ssstart looking ill. It'sss almossst like we're cattle to them..."

"That's not fair!" Alfred said angrily. Arthur smiled fondly at his new friend.

"Don't worry about it. I'm usssed to it."

"Still, they shouldn't treat you like that," Alfred grumbled under his breath. All of this was just unfair. Sitting by and knowing all this was happening, he felt so useless. Just thinking about the all the others he hadn't even seen yet who were suffering like Arthur made him feel so angry.

"It'sss refreshing to have sssomebody worrying about usss for a change. I thank you for that."

"Heh. No problem, Arthur."

Just then, the two heard a rustle behind them, and Alfred turned to see his mom stood at the entrance, looking more than a little shocked.

"Alfred, get away from the naga!" she said urgently, as if Arthur was about to attack.

"You mean Arthur? Why? He's my friend."

"Alfred, now. We're leaving," she ordered with her hands on her hips. Alfred looked from his mom to Arthur and frowned.

"I'm sorry, Arthur, I have to go now." Arthur looked at Alfred with an almost sorrowful expression. Just seeing that look made the pit of Alfred's stomach feel funny. He didn't like it. "Don't worry. I'll try to come back soon," he whispered. Arthur smiled sadly, but he nodded.

"Alright. I'll hold you to that promissse."

Alfred stood up and brushed the dirt from the back of his pants. He gave Arthur one more smile and waved to him before turning and walking to his mother.

They went out of the tent and headed towards the freak show's entrance. "Alfred, you need to be more careful. You never know what those freaks will do," his mother warned him. Alfred frowned at his mother's use of the word freaks, but said nothing.

"Alright... But can we come back soon? I didn't get to see all the things here." His mom looked at him, puzzled. After a few minutes of thought she nodded with a smile.

"Sure, why not? Just promise me you won't get so close to the freaks again."

"I promise!" Alfred said, secretly crossing his fingers behind his back. What his mom didn't know wouldn't hurt her. He was just so thrilled that he could see Arthur again.

It soon ended up as a regular routine, Alfred begging his mom to take him back to the freak show. He would always go to Arthur's tent, and they would always talk about anything that came to mind, about what happened to them that day, about what they liked and disliked.

They grew almost inseparable. They told each other their secrets, and talked about personal things that had happened to them before. Arthur even told Alfred about how he came to the freak show. He was taken away from his family at a young age, and hearing this made Alfred almost burn with anger. To be taken to some strange place and just put on display—how could someone do something like that? Alfred made it his duty that day; he would do whatever it took to make Arthur happy. He would make it so that he didn't have to be alone.

This lasted for almost an entire year, but then one day Alfred didn't show up when he usually would. A week passed, and there was still no sign of Alfred. A week soon became months. Alfred wouldn't come…

Not until years later.

A/n: I hope you all liked the first chapter. I would really like if you all could review and tell me how i did. XD That would really make my day!

Until next time~