Thinking of the Past: A Ranger's Apprentice fanfic

Summary: Will and Rachel grew up together as wards in Castle Redmont. They spent their whole lives together pulling pranks and were best friends. But what happens when Will is chosen to become the newest apprentice in the mysterious Ranger Corps? How will Rachel take being separated from her best friend?

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story. The Ranger's Apprentice series belongs to John Flanagan. The plot and Rachel belong to NoWordsDescribeMe. The story itself is also written for NoWordsDescribeMe.

Author's note: This is a new project I started working on about a month ago and I'm finally starting to upload it. The first chapter or two of this story will take place during Will's early life, around the time he is eight. The rest of the story will begin on the night before Choosing Day.

Chapter 1: Crime and Punishment

Rachel stood outside the large double-doors leading into the kitchen, impatiently looking around. She sighed in frustration as she watched the shadows flicker against the walls of the castle in the dim light of the torches.

"Come on, Will." She said. "Where are you?" She heard a light tapping coming from the entry hall, as if someone were walking down the stairs. A second later a shadow appeared on the wall opposite her, illuminated by the torch mounted on the wall behind her. "Crap." Rachel dove behind a brazier set next to the doors and watched, as the shadow grew larger. Suddenly a small, crouched figure appeared around the corner and looked around.

"Rachel?" The figure asked quietly. Rachel recognized the voice at once.

"There you are!" She said quietly as she stepped out of her hiding place. Will turned to her and smiled slightly. "Where have you been? We were supposed to meet here twenty minutes ago!" Will's face darkened slightly.

"Sorry." Will said sheepishly. "Horace held me up."

"Of course. When are the two of you going to get over your pointless fights?"

"As soon as he stops being an ass."

"Whatever. Come on. We've got a prank to pull and we're behind schedule." The brightness returned to Will's face at the mention of the duo's prank.

"Cool. I still want to get Master Chubb back for hitting me with that spoon of his last week."

"Hence why we're doing this in the first place. You got the stuff?"

"Yep." Will held up a knapsack. "It's all in here."

"Then let's move." The two quietly ran through the double doors leading into the castle's kitchen. They snuck through the well-lit kitchen, dodging had-at-work kitchen aids and cooks until they reached a large pan of cake batter that was sitting on the counter at the far end of the room. Rachel held her hand out to Will.

"Give me the stuff."

"Actually, if you don't mind I'd like to do it." Rachel looked at her friend like he had grown a second head. "Are you crazy? If you get caught I can't get you out of trouble."

"I won't get caught. Trust me. Just keep an eye on Chubb."

"If you say so." Rachel turned and looked through the open kitchen door at the fat chef who was stuffing a turkey. "Alright. He's busy. Go at it, but make it quick."

"Gotcha." Will reached into the knapsack and pulled out a large bag of baking soda. He ripped open the top of the bag and began pouring the contents into the batter pan. Rachel continued to watch Chubb until he sat down his stuffing fork and began walking towards the door.

"Hurry up." Rachel whispered urgently. "Chubb is coming this way."

"Just... about... done!" Will crumpled up the bag from the baking soda and quickly stuffed it back into the knapsack. Rachel and Will quickly made their way back to the kitchen doors before Master Chubb could see them and slipped outside. once they were safe back in the hallways of the darkened castle they began laughing. "Man, I can't wait for tomorrow!"

"Me neither. I want to see the look on Chubb's face when it happens."

The Next Day

Will and Rachel stood in the anteroom outside of Baron Arald's office along with a very angry and frosting- covered Master Chubb. Jonathan looked up from the paperwork he was working on, took one look at Master Chubb, and gestured them inside. As Will and Rachel walked into the high-ceiling office accompanied by the angry kitchen master they adopted guilty looks and did their best to compose themselves. Baron Arald looked up at the three as they walked in and sighed.

"And what brings you two here today, Rachel?" Baron Arald said, smiling slightly and stifling a laugh as he took in the image of the cake- covered Master Chubb that came in behind them. "I would wager a guess that it has something to do with an exploding cake?"

"Yes, sir." Rachel said. "But I promise you we had nothing to do with it."

"And who else could it have been?" Master Chubb asked in a volume just below shouting.

"I don't know." Will said. "Exactly how many people were working in the kitchens on the wedding banquet last night?"

"Seventy- eight, but that has nothing to do with it." Chubb turned to the Baron, who was still seated at his desk, but had managed to compose himself slightly. "My lord, I spoke with the sentries who were on duty last night and many of them reported seeing Will walking around the castle halls after hours heading in the direction of the kitchen."

"So? Maybe I was heading to the bathrooms. The closest bathrooms to the Ward rooms are the ones right next to the kitchen." Rachel looked at Will admiringly. He had thought of everything to get them out of trouble.

"He has a point, Chubb." Baron Arald said. He turned towards the two kids. "You may both go. I would like to have a word with our kitchen master in private." Will nodded.

"Thank you for understanding, my lord." The two walked quickly out of the office and closed the door behind them before leaving the Baron's offices altogether and began walking toward the Ward rooms.

"That was awesome, Will." Rachel said excitedly. "I never knew you to be much of an impromptu speaker, let alone be one while you were in trouble."

"I don't have any idea how it happened, but at least it got us out of trouble."

"Do you think the others figured out it was us?"

"Probably. But at least we know they won't rat. Did you see the look on their faces? Even Horace and George were laughing when that cake exploded all over Sir Arnold."

"Well, it was one of our best. And we still have plenty of time to do better."

"You'd better believe it."

Well, that's the end of the first chapter. How'd you all like it? Please review, but no flames. I'll just use them to cook the hamburgers I'm making for dinner tonight.