A/N: Hi, I'm back, with another fandom! This is my first fic for The Black Magician Trilogy and I'm not sure if it's any good... :S

But I'm hoping it is! I am taking on the 100 Themes Challenge but don't expect regular updates, I'll just upload things as I write them so prepare to deal with my erratic mind! Mwahahaha!

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN BMT! Clear?

Theme: Introduction

Characters: Young Cery and Sonea, brief mention of OC Thief

Setting: Pre-Trilogy

Sonea was walking through the streets of the West Quarter, making her way home when she decided to take a less crowded route and turned a corner. At first sight, the alleyway looked deserted, but as Sonea walked forward a few steps, she spotted a hidden alcove which revealed a boy crouching in the shadows examining something on his hand. He looked young, the same age as her, or maybe a few years older. The boy's back was to Sonea but she read the tension in his shoulders and got the feeling that he was hiding from someone. She walked up behind the boy and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hello!" She said brightly.

"Hai!" The boy exclaimed, whirling round in surprise with a small knife clutched in his hand. "Did Rassook send you? 'Cause if he did, you can tell him that I ain't the squimp, it was my da that got them in rub... Oh." His angry statement trailed off at the end and his piercing grey eyes widened as he realised he was shouting at a small girl who was backing away warily at the sight of his knife. "Sorry, I thought you was a knife."

"That's alright?" Sonea said, phrasing it almost as a question. She let herself take a good look at the boy. From his messy hair to his ragged clothes, the boy was a mess. On the back of his hand was a deep cut oozing blood.

"Ouch," she said. "You should get that looked at. Come with me, my ma'll clean you up. She's a servant in one of the big houses!" She tacked on proudly before heading down the alleyway. Sonea looked over her shoulder to find the boy still in the same position. "Are you comin'?"

The boy looked at Sonea, then at his hand, then back to Sonea again and shrugged. "I suppose. You seem right-sided enough to me." He strode forward to catch up with her.

"The big house is amazin', just wait 'till you see it! Can you believe that we each get our own bedroom? Oh, yeah..." She paused, "I'm Sonea, by the way."

"Nice to meet ya, Sonea. I'm Cery."

It was the start of a great friendship.

A/N: I was reading The Magicians Guild (again) when I saw a part that I must have missed before. It's near the start before Sonea gets help from the Thieves and she and Cery start talking about their parents. Sonea says that before her mom died, her parents used to be servants in one of the big houses. It doesn't say exactly when her mom died (as far as I know) or when Sonea and Cery met, so they are quite young here. Not sure how young, I'll leave that to you to decide. I have no idea whether I got the slang right...

Pleeeeeeaaaaaasssseeee Review! You know you wanna! ;D