Disclaimer: I do not own the songs or characters written about here.
About the South by Rodney Atkins
David stood back up after losing his lunch. He really hated these transportation spells. Then he looked around. He saw a creek, a few cotton fields, and a farm house. "Um, Balthazar? Where exactly are we?" he asked.
Balthazar gave a mysterious laughed. "Georgia. You're geographical education is sadly lacking, so I'm going to take you on a few field trips. Welcome to how I lived for a decade. It was alright. It was kind of hard to hide magic sometimes due to the low population, but when you were out here like this, it was nice and easy. Come on. This is where I used to live.
Dave shrugged and headed up the hill. He supposed a spell was keeping the place in the fine condition it was in.
Carry on my Wayward Son by Kansas
David was sick of everything, and he was rather vocal about it. He was sick of getting blown off his feet during training. He was sick of Balthazar trying to teach him things that he felt was beyond his level. So he had defeated Morgana. Big woop. He didn't feel any better about being so pushed.
"Forget this! I'm taking a nice, long vacation while you find someone else to torture!" he finally shouted and stalked out. Balthazar sighed. How had he been the one to end up with an apprentice? Veronica was always the one who was better equipped to handle people.
"Dave-" he called. But the young man had left. And used the spell to prevent tracking. Balthazar had to smile at that. So as sick of magic as he was, he still used it. It was so... so...so Dave.
He was at a loss of what to do about his missing apprentice, however. Veronica wouldn't "interefere". She had made that clear at the beginning. "He's too much like you," she said. Balthazar sighed. That was helpful. Not.
He tried to remember what had brought him back all those months ago, but didn't know. Dave had simply shown up at the right time to save his master from death-by-five-knives. Balthazar sighed and gave Becky a call.
Take a Chance on Me by ABBA
Balthazar rarely showed his soft side. Veronica understood why, though she missed it. David never got it. He knew the man had been through a lot, but he could hardly help him if Balthazar wouldn't let him in. So he stayed away from those areas.
However, today, Balthazar stepped out of his shell for the boy. David had simply "turned off" at practice. When the master asked the apprentice why, he had simply shook his head. But Balthazar simply sighed and said, "You really do suck at lying. Why are suddenly so afraid?" he asked, suddenly realizing where he had seen the boy's expression before. Dave had been wearing it during a confrontation with Horvath in a bathroom.
Dave looked down. "It's this spell. The last time I cast it, I lost control. I don't think I can deal with that again."
Balthazar had better tact to laugh at this, though it was a struggle. "Honestly, Dave. I'll make sure nothing goes wrong."
Dave sighed and lifted his hands again, praying Balthazar was as confident as he seemed.
Mean by Taylor Swift
Dave was wiped. Balthazar was unconcious on the ground behind him, and Veronica was also off her feet. It was up to him. So he took a deep breath and brought up a confident facade and hoped that Morgana couldn't see his fear through the lies like anybody else would.
"Now it's my turn," he said and conjured up plasma. He really hated this witch. He fired and fired and finally almost gave in. Then he glanced at Balthazar. The man hadn't even opened his eyes. If the Prime Merlinian hadn't been working so hard on destroying the weird smoke-thing before him he would have shouted something about how evil she really was. Of course, she knew that. But he was anger. That anger wasn't what gave him strength. But his hidden love for his master did. He kept firing.
When he had to hide behind a rapidy-cracking shield he was shouting how unfair it was in his head. But his love stayed and he won the battle.
Fly Away by Tim McGraw
Dave stood at the top of the Chrysler Building and breathed deeply. He smiled. He didn't notice his smirking master behind him.
"Some good memories, huh?" the man asked. Dave whirled around and smiled. "Yes. My dresser flying at me, jumping on the back of a steel eagle, realizing Becky really did like me, deciding to go back to you- which saved your life, by the way, and just looking at the view. I feel free up here. I almost wish we could train here."
Balthazar laughed. "Yeah, I always loved heights. The freedom of flying. That's why I always prefered the eagle to anything else, save my car. I really do love that car."
David laughed at that before sighing blissfully and looking at the night sky. "I think this is also the place I gave Becky the courage to climb heights and save the world two days later."
Balthazar clapped his apprentice on the shoulder and said, "Thank heavens."
I'm a Believer by Smash Mouth
David was still feeling surreal as he sat in front of Becky at some French restaurant. How did someone like... like... well, like her want to be his girlfriend? And on top of her super model beauty and great sense of humor, she actually wasn't frightened away by his magic. She just accepted the fact and dealt with it. She believed it all. And when he asked her to face her fears to stop the world's destruction, she simply nodded and did it without question. She didn't say, "World ending? Right. No, way, Dave. Forget it."
If she had, of course, Dave would have had to do it and Balthazar would have died. But she hadn't. He grinned at his girlfriend and asked her about the view.
Changes by David Bowie
Veronica was baffled by Balthazar's acceptance of all the centuries he had seen and lived. He'd had, well, centuries, to come to terms with the fact, but it still amazed her. Every day he showed her a new, modern thing and every day she looked at him with wonder.
Like the time he showed her a furnace. She had shook her head and said, "But it can't possibly be hot enough! Look, it's not even white hot! And it has to heat up the whole building!"
He had finally had to allow her to install a fireplace in his beloved Arcana Cabana in order to keep her peace of mind. "Just in case it isn't warm enough from that, that, furnace," she had reasoned.
He never could really tell her no.
Don't Let's Start by They Might Be Giants
Veronica looked up at her husband's sudden entrance. "Is something wrong, Beloved?" she asked. He just sighed and plopped into a chair. "Yes, you could say that. Dave's in a moody phase. He's messier, loses patience faster, and gets angry at me faster than ever! He actually threw a plasma bolt at me when I didn't explain the new spell fast enough!"
Veronica laughed. "I seem to remember you going through a phase like that."
Balthazar gave his wife a fed up gaze and snorted. Him? Never.
The Best Day by Taylor Swift
Dave came into the lab with a big, silly grin on his face. "What's the matter with you?" Balthazar asked with pretend concern.
Dave looked at him and laughed. "I was just going through some movies Becky's mom took of her when she was little. It's really cute."
Balthazar smiled. Of course Becky could put that smile on his face. "Well, when do I get to see yours?" he asked.
Dave looked at the Tesla coils with renewed interest. "Yeah, she seemed to enjoy watching them, too. Maybe we'll do that again. She loves her family."
Balthazar recognized a forbidden subject when he saw one. "Yes," was all he said.
Dave gave a harsh laugh. "Yeah, well. My dad died when I was little, and my mom died when I was eighteen. I never did tell her how much I'm glad she never brought up my meeting with you."
Balthazar looked at the Merlin's Circle. "Let's get to work.
Haunted by Taylor Swift
Balthazar was having a bad day. And Dave's whining wasn't helping. "Just BE QUIET!" he shouted. Then he ran out.
Dave tried calling, he tried tracking, he tried everything. Veronica called four days later asking if the master was with him. Then Dave began to worry. He had assumed that the man had simply taken the week off to cool down. Now he wondered where he could have gone.
"No. I'm leaving to look for him now," he said gruffly, trying to cover up the fear in his voice. He wouldn't have just run off forever because of something his apprentice had said, could he? He wasn't that insane, was he? Dave called Becky and explained things as he got into his car. He had to find Balthazar.