Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners.
What happens when you mix family friends, Artists, Strang Characters, and the CIA...a whole mess of trouble.
Chapter 1: Old Friends
Charlie had been so lucky when he won the golden ticket nearly two years ago now, he had a wonderful home inside the magnificent Factory of Willy Wonka's magical fantasy land and had his family with him always. He had long remembered how hard things had been before that day, he even recalled a friend from his past that he hadn't seen in a very long time, she had always been his guardian angel as his mother had once described her. Charlie missed her very much and the comfort she had given him during those days where he had been bullied, someone had hurt his feelings, or his family was having a particularly hard time. Odette Falkner had been an art student in college when she befriended Charlie, he remember watching her constantly drawing, sketching, and using her hands to craft wonderful pieces of art and how she had shared them with him. Odette had loved answering his questions and never made the boy feel obsolete or insignificant, she had always treated him as an equal and his family had adored her as though she was a member of their own family. She grew up without family really because her mother had left her with her grandparents when she was young and she lost them at an early age, she had no qualms with her foster family but never really got along with them. Odette had been part of Charlie's family, a big sister he had never had and he wanted that kinship again which was why on that very morning he was going to confront his mentor and dearest friend Willy Wonka and try and convince him to let her come to the factory.
Charlie's parents had admired the boys courage and knew all too well that they all missed the girl very much, Charlie most of all and he was determined to get her to come to the factory and become an honorary member of his family and knew that with any luck Mr. Wonka would gladly agree. Charlie had talked about Odette many times and found Willy had been fascinated with the stories of the strange girl and had listened intently to all the tales, even the ones Charlie related from her youth when she couldn't fit in well with other children. That very moment Willy Wonka had entered the Bucket house and noticed the determined look on his protégée's face and somehow knew that this day was going to change everything he knew, he just hoped that they would be good changes.
--New POV & Character intro--
I sat in my small apartment outside of the town I had grown up, rather lived about fifty miles or more from the town and missed my once adopted family. It had been two years since I learned of Charlie's turn of luck and I had been so happy for them, but sadly because I worked several jobs to finish art school, I didn't get to congratulate him or say goodbye to any of the Buckets. I was preparing to move back to that town and was glancing around my run down pale peach walled apartment; it was now empty except for the once lovely dark red carpet now turned brownish with age. My apartment had always been an eyesore but I didn't have a choice and took what I got; now oddly enough I was going to miss the peach walls, old browned carpet and the persistent noise of the neighbors bickering long into the night. This apartment had really been my first home away from those I knew and depended on and I had found myself her for once in my life, I had become independent and the world could no longer crush me. I was now a freelance artist for hire and had saved enough money to rent a rather run down apartment closer to my friends, I was melancholy for leaving then though because I hadn't heard from those friends in a long time and knew that it was possible I wouldn't hear from them again, little did I know fate had something is store for me.
Knock, knock
"Who on earth could that be…I'm changing addresses." I murmured thoughtfully peering at my outfit out of habit and smiling ruffling my waist length blonde hair. I was wearing a white lace peasant top with sleeves nearly to my waist over a matching sleeveless shirt underneath, my black pants rapidly contrasted giving me an elegant look that made me smile. "Coming!" I called thoughtfully before slowly walking toward the door and seeing a postman standing there with a small lavender envelope. "Thank you." I replied before shutting the door and puzzling over the strange letter.
I had no friends to speak of that would take the time to write me and the lavender letter smelled faintly sweet making me curious. I had always loved an antique style in clothing and strange objects had always attracted my interest, I had been told many a time I didn't belong to the twenty-first century but had easily ignored the comments. I puzzled over the note for a long while flipping it over and recognized a familiar cursive writing that brought a small grin to my face. "Charlie wrote this." I realized giggling with pure silliness dancing around the room in an arch, and then I flopped cross-legged on the old carpet and opened the letter carefully unfolding the delicate lavender paper.
Dear Odette,
I know it's been a very long time since I've spoken to you, I've greatly missed your visits and friendship…the family insists I say hello to you before I go any further.
I haven't seen you since before you went off to finish you degree, I hope all that turned out well for you and now on to the greatest news in the world, at least for me. I talked with my mentor which I hope or at least guess you've heard of and everything that's happened with me. He's agreed to let me invite the missing member of our family, after a very long explanation from mum…getting to the point.
Would you please come to the factory and stay with us for a bit. I could really use a familiar face and I'm sure you will find lots of inspiration for your art and amazing creations, I do so hope you will come. There is a small envelope with a pass key for you to get into the gate…if you do decide to come, I can't wait to talk to you again and thank you for always being there for me when I needed a friend.
Friend for life,
Charlie Bucket
"Charlie, I've missed your warm nature…not to mention your family." I murmured folding the letter gently and placing it back into the envelop, before I pulled out a smaller violet envelope with writing I didn't recognize, it was curvy and reminded me of a swirl in a painting or something similar. "This must be my way in through those large gates." I realized opening the envelope and staring curiously at a small card no bigger then maybe a small box of crayons, slightly slimmer about the size of two pencils placed side by side. I glanced at the card and noticed amusingly enough it was gold, probably similar to those golden tickets I had seen on the television during the whole incident. I glanced at the ticket curiously studying it for a long while noticing that there was an odd pattern black bar on the back and nothing more interesting about it. "Interesting design…not what I would expect from the amazing Willy Wonka though, somehow it appears a little simple almost hurried." I murmured shrugging at the thought and tucking it safely away into the envelope and placing Charlie's letter into my pocket.
I was going to visit Charlie as soon as I could. First things first though was to get to my apartment and settle into it somewhat and pack for the visit properly, my organized chaos method would not do in this current situation. The only problem I had with these thoughts was organized chaos was the only way I could function, which meant a hasty shoving all I needed into a bag and hoping it would stay shut. Once outside I let out a laugh ducking back under the poorly taken care of material awning of the apartment building I was leaving and glanced out at the now pouring rain. I loved the rain especially in summer but being in England rain was quite common, but it had never bothered me in the least. Rain was my escape when life would turn sour, it washed away those troubles and spread new beginnings with it's rinsing and it had reminded me of the fun times back when I lived with my grandparents in America. I sighed staring at the brick building that was still in rather poor condition and found myself glad I wouldn't ever have to return back to, granted my new apartment wasn't rich or overly beautiful, but it was much better taken care of and I could sleep without worrying something might crawl into my bed, like the many mice and such that resided in that old apartment I was leaving.
I found myself in a cab on my way to my new home and smiled at the familiar scenery glad to finally be on my way to my old home. Soon I was dozing in the back of the cab exhausted from packing things and hurriedly leaving my old apartment, I started awake from a tap sensation and thanked the driver quickly exiting the cab. I stood staring up at a much more pleasant looking brick building with an almost what appeared to be new awning and smiled. Soon I was walking into my new home taking the stairs and finding myself outside my new apartment. Once inside I glanced around at the carefully piled boxes, and noticed the only furniture not covered was my bed and in that moment it was so appealing I ran past the living room, tiny kitchen and straight into the pale blue room, I then promptly flopped across it snuggling into my overstuffed pillows to sleep. Later that night I woke with a start glancing around my new surroundings and yawning before I quickly climb from bed. I was soon gathering things for my visit with Charlie and making myself pizza bites for dinner. Morning would come sooner then I thought, which in turn made me remember to grab my pajama's and run into the bathroom waiting for dinner to be ready. I sat in bed reading a book about some famous artists, sculptures and painters smiling faintly feeling sleep sneaking up on me with a gently tug at my lids.
Morning come with a rather abrupt thump when I rolled out of bed and landed hard on my thin pale blue carpet. I sat up with a groan and glanced around realizing today was the day I had planned on making my way down the familiar roads to the ever present looming Chocolate Factory very near my current residence, once there I would be with my dearest friends again and meet the well known recluse Willy Wonka. I sat there on my floor for a long while adjusting to the new surroundings and smiling faintly recalling the chaos I had gone through the night before when shoving half my closet into my bags, and the other half of them stuffing them full of art supplies. One would think by the stack of items I had packed I planned on moving all over again, but I for one knew better and always preferred to come over prepared. I stood and cracked my body, arching like a cat before walking into the bathroom decorated in pale lavenders and crèmes relaxing under a hot shower before my adventure would start. Humming an odd tune from Mary Poppins I walked from the bathroom wearing a blue robe and started shuffling through what was left of my wardrobe pulling on a pair of black bellbottom jeans with rainbow beads tracing around the knees and ankles in hundreds of odd spirals and then I put on a peasant top that appeared to have been run through a tie-dye machine leaving it a pale intricate pattern of all seven colors in the rainbow. The sleeves were longer then any shirt I owned nearly touching with my knees and floated about my body like they were hit with a soft wind, I loved the shirt and had nearly warn to poor thing out by then, but looking at it you would never have guessed I did so or even come close.
"All packed…now all I need is a U-Haul." I muttered thoughtfully staring at my cases and rolling my eyes at the things piled against the wall to leave. "I really need to get more organized." I stated walking to the door and glancing out into the hall for any sign of life and finding as usual none. "I have an idea." I murmured with a giggle walking back into the house and digging around my old toys and stuff I kept from my childhood. I managed to find my old skateboard and shook my head finding three others I had been very fond of.
I slowly tied the three skateboards together with jump ropes of all things and started to load them to the hilt, so to speak, making my way to the elevator I easily slid it all into the large contraption waiting for myself to hit ground floor. I loved living high up and smiled glad I had managed to find an apartment on the third floor, but sometimes liking heights could lead to weird obsessions, for example drawing far too many dragons and Pegasus according to someone who was watching me sketch one day in the park. "People have no imagination anymore." I thought glancing up at my stop ignoring that sour day in the park. I managed to load the lot into a cab, needless to say the driver was not happy in the least and made it a point to glare at me the entire short distance to the factory. Once outside the familiar gates I watched the driver place all my things violently down on the ground before cursing and driving off without a word. "Wonderful cab service." I thought sarcastically before glancing up at the large factory that gave me the feeling of walking into an unknown castle full of fantasy worlds and creatures beyond my imagination. I tended to be flaky and barely kept my head from the clouds, if anyone guessed, anyway slowly I walked over to the gate and studied the tall bars carefully before finding a very thin slot tucking the card into it and stepping back watching them swing open far enough for me to enter with my stuff in tow behind me.
