Chapter 10: First Day

(Back in 2012)

The young woman stopped writing for a minute, flexing her fingers. She'd been writing for hours without a break. Her hand felt like someone had glued the bones together.
She sighed, "Got it." She rose to her feet, flipping her long hair from her eyes. The young woman walked to the oil lamp she'd brought with her and was quick to light it. Its warm glow filled the room, casting shadows in the corners. The young woman smiled softly at the inky shapes. Even though she knew she'd forget very soon, the young woman recalled entering the Realm for the first time.
As Pitch's apprentice.

Had it really only been eight years ago? It felt like much, much more than that.

The young woman sighed and flexed her hand again. It didn't hurt and responded to her command, so she decided to get back to work. Casting one fleeting glance outside to admire the snowstorm, she sat back down on the floor. She picked up her pen and began to write again. She couldn't afford to waste any time.

And then, when the shadows parted...

"Welcome to my humble abode." Pitch Black waved a hand at the enviroment, his voice dry.
As the inky shadows cleared, Lucy could understand why.

The place she now stood in looked more like a cave than an actual home. While it was incredibly spacious and vast, the walls and floors were made of weathered rock. The air was cool and humid, and thousands of large, iron bird cages hung from the cave ceiling. Wan rays of light streamed down from the ceiling, and Lucy could make out some bridges formed from old stone.

Not exactly the most comfortable place in the world, eh?

Pitch folded his hands behind his back and began to walk down the steps. Lucy followed, trying to make as little noise as possible. She did not want to get lost in a place like this. Lucy found herself examining her surroundings as she traveled behind her new mentor. She couldn't help it; the entire place might've seemed creepy, but to her...it was beautiful in a way. It kind of reminded her of a few caves she'd explored back when she was six, when her family had visited her grandparents in Sardegna. It felt...serene, and peaceful.

"So," Pitch asked after they'd walked in silence for a while, "Are you regretting your decision already?"
Lucy frowned, "Why would I?"
Pitch stopped walking, his eyes widening. It took him a second to recompose himself, "Well, I merely wanted to...how do you humans say?" He thought for a second, trying to find the correct term, "Check. An apprentice must not be reluctant to live with her mentor. I was merely making sure that this wasn't the case. The Realm is repellent for most beings, especially for children." He chuckled without humor, "I suppose it is to be expected. After all, I'm not exactly children's favorite figure."

Lucy felt a small wave of empathy for the Boogeyman. She'd never put any thought into it, especially since she'd always seen the story from the guardians' point of view. But how could it have felt, to reside in this kind of place without friends? Pitch must've felt terribly lonely, especially since he knew how few children believed in him. Had he really never had a companion, an ally, something?

A chorus of loud neighing brought her out of her thoughts. She gasped and clung to Pitch's cloak without thinking.
Just for a second, the Nightmare King remembered the last time a child had gone to him for protection: his daughter, all the times she'd been frightened. She'd run up to him and hang onto his side much like Lucy was doing right now. An old, pleasant sensation bloomed in his chest. A warm smile appeared on his face.
He patted her head, "Fear not, little light. Those noises you hear are merely my Night Mares."

Lucy frowned and looked up, "Nightmares?"

"Yes." Pitch nodded, "Watch." He looked away from her and whistled sharply. Lucy winced slightly at the noise. It sounded like a dog whistle, only much louder and harder on the ears.

Before two seconds had passed, three swirling black shapes appeared from the shadows, coming straight towards them. Before Lucy's eyes, the things took on the elegant forms of stallions. They appeared to be made of black ash, and their eyes were as bright as embers. Their onyx mane flew behind them like black smoke. They were breathtakingly beautiful, but Lucy still found herself hiding behind Pitch.

As the Night Mares reached the pair, Pitch reached out and steadied them. Lucy watched in amazement as Pitch whispered soothing words to the horses and stroked their sleek necks lovingly.
"Exquisite, aren't they?" Pitch asked, caressing one of the horses' snouts, "Don't be nervous; it only riles them up more. They smell fear, you know."
As if on cue, one of the horses Pitch wasn't petting reared up and stepped towards Lucy. The small girl yelped and stumbled backwards, her face blanching. The Nightmare King frowned slightly and held the other one back.

"Are you frightened of horses?" He asked curiously.

"W-well..." Lucy tried to think up a lie before realizing it was pointless. He could sense her fear, just like his Night Mares. She hung her head in shame, "Yes."

Pitch's eyes widened slightly, but he regained his composure. "And why, might I ask?"

Lucy shifted her weight from one foot to another, "I'd rather not talk about it, if you don't mind."

Pitch could smell his apprentice's fear. She was practically reeking of it. But deciding not to rub salt into the wounds, he nodded, "Very well." He turned to the horses and said, "Go on, now." He slapped them on the backs for emphasis. The Night Mares appeared reluctant, but they obeyed their master all the same. Relief washed over Lucy like a tidal wave as the two majestic beasts flew off into the Realm, transforming back into shadows along the way.

"They're cool, though." Lucy said, not wanting to discourage Pitch, "Better than real horses, anyway." She faced the Nightmare King curiously, "Can you make any other creatures like that?"

Pitch snickered as he met her gaze. The two resumed their walk down the bridge. "Yes, though I do prefer horses. I can create other beasts, though the larger they are, the more energy it takes on my part."
Lucy nodded, "Will I be able to use black sand, to?"
Pitch smiled to himself, looking away so his student wouldn't see it. She was absorbing knowledge already. He'd chosen well.
"Yes. In a couple of years, perhaps. You're much too young to utilize black sand right now."

"Okay." Lucy answered, a tad disappointed, "So what am I gonna do?"

Pitch smiled, "For the time being, you will come with me on my travels. At your age, humans lap up information like a sponge. Watching me will be of use to you later on."
"Wow." Lucy cracked a smile for the first time in weeks, "Looks like you got it all planned out."

Pitch laughed out loud this time. His chortles echoed through the realm, bouncing off the cave walls like boomerangs. Lucy nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden sound.

"Lucy," The Boogeyman said once he finished, "You forget that I didn't just wake up in the morning and decide to search for a student. I have been searching for an apprentice for quite some time."
"Which is how long, exactly?" Lucy inquired, ready to hear a ridiculously long time.
"Around one hundred years, more or less." Pitch answered as they entered a dim corridor.

He snapped his fingers, and a black door appeared. Lucy emitted a small yelp, taking a step back. Pitch grinned mischieviously. Humans couldn't make doors and passageways appear and disappear like he could. Watching their reactions was incredibly funny to him.
"This," He waved at the door, "will be your bedroom. It will depend entirely on you. Just by wanting it, you can change your room's size, shape, and color."

"Wow. It's a good thing this isn't a hotel, or it would cost me an eye." Lucy commented, making Pitch smirk.
"You should rest now. Tonight is one of my trips, and it shall serve as your first lesson."

Lucy's eyes suddenly widened. She groaned and slapped a hand over her face, "Should I wear a black cloak like you? 'Cuz that's gonna be a problem."
"Why?"
"All my clothes are still at home." Lucy responded, massaging her temples, "Sorry. I wasn't even thinking about that until now."

"Oh." Pitch had to admit, he'd forgotten all about that as well. He'd lived here for so long, he hadn't even thought that his new apprentice (well, his only apprentice) would need something the Realm didn't have.
Still, it wasn't a big problem.

He shrugged, placing a pale gray hand on Lucy's shoulder, "You don't need them anymore, little light. Those clothes belong to another life." He lightly tapped the girl's cheek, where the swelling had gone down a bit, "As does this injury. You've left that life behind."

He stared at the girl's outfit a moment longer, deciding she still needed new clothes. He almost felt like a parent again, having to worry about a child's basic needs. But this was still different; this was about principle, not just the girl's necessity. No apprentice of his would wear the same clothes every day. He would not have it.

He waved his hand, and Lucy's clothes morphed. The little girl watched with a dropped jaw as her black-and-white striped shirt and black skirt transformed into a body-hugging bodysuit the color of the night sky. It covered her from neck to foot; the only things left uncovered were her ankles, toes, and fingers. Lucy blinked several times before touching the fabric, making sure it wasn't merely an illusion.

Nope; it was indeed a thicker, warmer material than her previous clothes had been.

Lucy looked up at Pitch and smiled, "Thank you. I really like it. But..." She hesitated, as if unsure whether to continue speaking.
Pitch smirked. This ought to be good.
"Go on." He jerked his chin at her, "What's on your mind?"
"Well," Lucy played with one of her russet locks, "I like it, but it's just...well, I'd like to add a few touches to it, y'know?"

"Like what?" Pitch arched a brow. If she wanted to add glitter, unicorns, or anything like that, he'd seclude himself for a month.

"Do you have a white marker or something?" She asked, holding her small hand out. Pitch blinked, "Do I look like an art store?"

Lucy blushed and retracted her hand, "Right, never mind." She walked towards her door, "See you tonight!"
Still blushing with embarrassment, Lucy closed the door, leaving Pitch alone in the dark hallway.

The Nightmare King sighed and shook his head. He'd pretty much let this one concept slip from his mind. Women. Even young ones were obsessed with fashion.

Oh, well. She was coming with him tonight. Maybe he'd be able to hammer some skills in that head of hers.