Greetings, all...I was going to wait until I had this story completely written, but being an impatient old lady, I decided to go ahead and start it. This is my first CATCF fan fic...I hope you enjoy it!
Prologue
It was the biggest newsworthy event to hit the small community outside London since the original contest years before…..Charlie Bucket was coming of age.
Very little had been seen or heard of the lucky little poor boy who had found the last of the 5 Wonka's Wonderful Golden Tickets. Since winning the big prize, he had in essence vanished from the public's eye. After the hubbub of the big event had died down, gradually everyone had begun to forget about the skinny little boy and his family, whose leaning, broken down house had vanished one night as if it had never existed. Therefore the world was shocked when some nine years after young Charlie Bucket's dream came true, another contest was announced.
As Willy Wonka's designated apprentice and protege, he had much to learn and learn he did, continuing his education with private tutors and beginning his professional training at the side of his candy making mentor. He had wanted to remain in public school, but after several attempted kidnappings it had been determined that home schooling was the only feasible choice. It was in this manner, under the watchful eyes of his loving parents and benefactor, that Charlie Bucket grew into a rather fine specimen of manhood.
Yes, the eccentric chocolatier's heir was coming of age, and to celebrate, his patron had decided to throw a party….but not just any old ordinary party. Growing up virtually isolated inside the massive candy factory with only his patron, his family, the oompah-loompahs, and tutors for company, Charlie didn't have a great many friends, especially among people his own age. That being the case, Willy Wonka had decided to take it upon himself to throw the young man a birthday party he would not soon forget.
In honor of his protégé's 21st birthday, 100 lucky people were going to be given the opportunity of a lifetime. Those who found one of the precious silver tickets hidden inside Wonka's chocolate bars worldwide would be honored guests at a masquerade birthday ball at Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, a place as mysterious as the man himself. Noone was ever seen entering or leaving the factory, other than the delivery trucks which traveled at regular intervals between the massive iron gates. What went on behind those gates was the question that the world was dying to know….
888888888888888888888888888888