IPod Challenge (ripped off of kenobigirlliz... Check hers out: Musical Musings):

1. Pick a character, pairing, or fandom you like.

2. Turn on your music player and put it on random/shuffle.

3. Write a drabble related to each song that plays. You only have the time frame of the song to finish the drabble; you start when the song starts, and stop when it's over. No lingering afterward!

4. Do ten of these and then post them.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010), nor do I own any of the songs whose titles are mentioned within this fic. I'm not that amazing. (After you read some of these things, you'll see that quite clearly:P)

Lyrics and Magic

1. God blessed Texas—Little Texas

Balthazar sighed. It had been a long time since he'd been to America. The last time he'd been here, he'd dealt with a little witch by the name of Abigail Williams. Now he found himself back in the country, in one of the newer states, Texas. He had spent too much time, he realized, trolling Europe and the east coast of America because they were familiar areas. Sorcerers could be found anywhere, in any sort of people.

He'd been all over the world, but this place was a bit... different. Wilder than some of the other areas he was more used to. Strangely, he found that he liked it. There was a freshness here, even though the area had recently been a part of terrible battles over land among other issues. Perhaps he had a chance to to find the Prime Merlinian here. Perhaps he'd manage to free himself. Finally. Find a peace of his own personal heaven. He was too used to the hell he'd been in up until now.

He could only hope. With that he began his search.

2. Automatic Love Letter—Backseat Goodbye

He loved her. It was a strange feeling for him to realize that he loved her so much. He knew everything about her. Her favorite things: Nature. Music. Living a normal life. Everything.

He shouldn't have been so surprised by it. She somehow also knew everything about him as well. At this moment, he realized they could have a life together.

3. Hail to the Princess Aurora (from Sleeping Beauty)

It was the birth of a new princess. Merlin had taken him to these in the past. Not so long ago, really. Not by his standards. Had it only been a few decades since he'd last seen his master? How much longer would he be living in stasis like this? How many more kings and queens would he see rise and fall? He glanced at the faded old man who was still king. Who everyone knew would never live out the year. Balthazar remembered visiting his birth with Horvath, Veronica and Merlin. Now the man's granddaughter was born.

A small moment of rest. The sorcerer had no expectations of finding what he was looking forhere. He had just wanted to see a bit of normal life.

4. Santa Claus is Coming to Town—Peggy Lee

"Are you serious?" Balthazar asked, glaring at his apprentice.

Dave grinned at him. "Aren't I always?" He puased. "Don't answer that."

Balthazar glared at him. "I'm not training a Santa Claus." He sent a sharp glare at the boy. "And I'm not joining you."

"It's for a good cause," Dave argued.

"I'm not ringing a bell either."

"It's volunteer work."

"It's for Becky. Do it yourself."

"It's for the children..."

Balthazar was silent and irritated. He'd agree if he liked it or not. "For the children..." God, he hated Dave.

5. The Power—Amy Grant

It's amazing how power dies so quickly. How some immortal things weren't so immortal after all. We can all die.

Even Merlin.

Nothing is in our control.

A power controls the universe. The same power that bestows the gift of magic to seemingly random people, giving them the abilities to do so much. Nobles, serfs, even geeky physics nerds.

Balthazar smiled faintly. At least Dave was of a different mold than they were are. He didn't have the cocky attitude that so many of them had acquired. They'd grown up around magic. Or at very least had trained from a relatively young age. Dave had been thrust into it. And he'd only faced the most powererful sorcerers alive, for good or bad. Morgana. Horvath. Veronica. Balthazar. Dave had the idea in his head that this was normal magic. That he was expected to beat this.

And it made him train. Harder and harder. It meant he'd never grow cocky about his abilities. As long as he never realized that he was stronger than almost any man or woman alive, he'd be okay.

Because even the Prime Merlinian would die one day.

And at least now Balthazar wouldn't have to worry about living to see it...

6. I will Always Love You—Whitney Houstan

It had been the hardest thing he'd ever done. He'd sealed Veronica, possibly forever, within the Grimhold. He'd trapped her with one of the most dangerous and evil forces in existence. He'd trapped the one he loved in hell, leaving only himself in a worse position.

And now he searched for the Prime Merlinian. So he could save the world. Keep his promise to his master. Free his love. But so much time had passed. So many centuries. Over a thousand years. He was an old man. Such an old man. And she... she was eternally young. Sure, he didn't look a day older than she'd last seen him. But maybe that was even worse. Because then she might expect him to be the same as before. At least if his hair were grey. If his face wrinkled. She'd known what had happened. Now he'd have to break it to her that the man she loved had grown old and bitter. That he was nothing as he had been before.

He'd have to tell her. And let her have the choice to reject him. It was best for her. She deserved better than this. She deserved her own life.

But still... he hoped. Had always hoped. Would always love her. Always hoped she'd feel the same. No matter what.

7. The Safest Way Into Tomorrow—Trans-Siberian Orchestra

She couldn't believe what she'd heard. Over a thousand years? He was over a thousand years old now? He didn't look any different. His smile was still the same. So kind. His touch as gentle as before.

She studied him, running her fingers across his face. Brushing hair out of his eyes. His own hand raised, calloused fingers catching her hand and pressing it gently against his face. Briefly he closed his eyes, breathing deeply. A flicker of both pain and happiness dancing across his face.

And then, even before his eyes opened, she could see the changes. So many of them. The pain he'd survived. The loneliness. The fact that this man who had always been capable of being kind and loving and gentle, yet had always instisted on showing only his strength, was suddenly allowing her to see him at his weakest. And there was no shame.

His eyes opened, and she could see the weight of years in them. He was old. He was tired. Sick of everything. Even under the small light of moon and stars and the strange bright lights along this street could she see the differences time had made.

But how could he think it would matter? He was her safety. Her love. He was what had brought her back. Not just by freeing her from the Grimhold and from Morgana, but by just waiting for her. For showing her that love could last.

He was her tomorrow.

8. I Hate Myself—Kelly Clarkson

It's my fault that she was trapped. She took on Morgana to save me. She almost died for me. I hate myself for it.

I never have been one to grow close to people. Merlin, Horvath and Veronica were the only ones I'd ever loved. Like a father, a brother...

There were no words for how I loved... love... her.

How did I repay her? Trap her while I remain free in the world, searching for a man I may never find. Some powerful sorcerer who can help me free her.

I work to free her, so I could be freed from my own personal hell.

Do I even deserve it?

My answer is no.

I have to hate myself for losing her...

9. Long Ago and Oh So Far Away—The Carpenters

Dave stared at the man in front of him... this old man, who he'd never dreamed could be so old.

"Yeah... I fell for her..."

God, how would that feel? To have lost someone so long ago? To still love her like that? And for the first time, Dave realized that he had to reevaluate everything he'd thought he'd known about this man. Because up until now he'd really believed that Balthazar was unable to have any real emotions. That maybe he just never had any. Or magic had killed them. Or, when Dave had learned of his having been Merlin's apprentice, that maybe the passage of so much time had numbed him to human feelings. Now Dave realized that not only had he been wrong, but it had been the complete reverse.

Who can love for so long? Put themselves through that kind of hell voluntarily because of a promise? Just because they love one person so much.

He watched his master with a new appreciation.

Maybe you're worth following after all...

10. Blonde Over Blue—Billy Joel

My life has always been hell. No one has ever really loved me other than my mother. I know that's a lame thing to say, but it's true. I've never even had any close friends. My friends had always been the guy who sat by me on the bus. Or the kid I shared chips with at lunch during my school days.

Bennett was the first person who acted like a brother to me. Balthazar was my first real father.

And then there's her. Becky. She's like a light in my darkness. Even when my life seemed to be at its darkest. When there was an evil sorcerer fighting me and a crazy one trying to train me... When I didn't realize that in reality I was actually entering the best part of my existence with people who genuinely cared about me and not just my skills or my homework. People who would do anything for me. Even the crazy guy who said he was my master and followed me around.

But what was really the thing that freed me the most? Who gave me the real strength to go on? Her. After listening to Balthazar's story of Veronica. And how he'd lost her... I realized... Becky is my Veronica. If she were to be trapped, I would die for her... live forever for her. Anything.

Because she's the one who brought me back to life. My light. My inspiration.

My everything.

Author's Note #1: Because I need to point this out. I'm incredibly anal about my writing, so I have to admit a couple of things about these. had to do a run-through at the end and edit. Minor changes. Generally they're spelling, grammar, repeated words and phrases, and punctuation. Once or twice I replaced a word with one better suited for the ficlet. That's it. Nothing beyond that. And for the Trans-siberian Orchestra one... I just bought that CD, so I'd never listened to the song before. I listened to it once before playing it back and writing within the time-frame the second time.

Oh, and I had to skip one song, because it was in Japanese. I didn't even know what the title was...

So, yeah... I'm sure you don't actually care about any of that, but I figured it was only fair to admit it:P THE SHAME! (God, this is why I shouldn't be allowed sugar and caffeine! lol)

Anyway, thanks for reading. Please review.

Sirius