I am scrapping the child of Emma story, fun as it was there are too many flaws for the power system and influence he can have... I have a superior idea and this is it, inspired by my Bleach story oddly.
Nine years before The First Curse Breaks
The Apprentice's manor
"Who are you and why are you in my house?" Rustin froze, panic in his chest. Turning from the bread he was pilfering, he saw an elderly man, maybe in his sixties, looking at him with annoyance. He was dressed in red, with a long beard and air of strength about him. Slowly, Rustin backed away, shaking. The man sighed, waving his hand. Cold force wrapped around Rustin, pinning him in place. The man approached him. "When was the last time you ate anything?" The man based, putting a hand on his forehead, which glowed a soft red color. "Three days, that is no good. " With a wave of his hand, food appeared at his table in a swirl of blue smoke. "Please, help yourself."
Shaking as the magic holding his released, Rustin approached the table and obeyed the wizard, stuffing his face. "Thank you." he managed to squeeze out, tired and hungry beyond measure.
The man nodded, smiling. " Take your time, we have much to discuss... like how did you manage to find Storybrooke, it is rather out of the way."
The boy stopped. "I... my dad is not very nice, he kicked me out and I ran from people trying to help. I didn't trust them. A nice man in a truck took me this way, and I walked the rest of the way. I got lost though, following the road. When I found this place, your house, I ... I assumed you had enough food for us both, so I took some. I am sorry, but I was so hungry."
"It is alright, I am not upset. My name is Gerald, what is yours?"
"Rustin... I don't use my family name, I don't like my family."
The man nodded. "Neither were my parents, that is why I allowed my master to adopt me, why I am still loyal to him even now."
"Master... is he a wizard too?"
"Yes, the greatest in all the world... you saw my powers, you belive in magic?"
Rustin froze. "Kind of... I mean I love fantasy, I adore magic and I always wanted it. Does that make sense?"
Gerald nodded. "Yes, that does make sense, Rustin."
"Can... Can I stay? You seem nice, and you have food and ... this town seems cute." Rustin did not say that he was tired of running, or that he felt a sense of peace with the scary wizard man... a genuine welcoming presence that he had never felt before.
"It is not a good place, it is not even real... are you familiar with fairy tales?" Rustin nodded. "The Evil Queen from the Snow White Story cast a powerful dark curse, damning many to this world, free from happy endings and their loves. I was taken too, but I was able to protect myself from the memory wipe of the curse. No one ages here, you would be discovered if you went into town..."
The boy shivered. " She would kill me, right?"
"Yes, she likely would..." The boy started to cry, soft tears cascading down his face. "There is another path... if you are willing, you would have to stay here, with me... and you could never leave, not until the time when the Savior comes to break the curse as is her destiny."
The boy nodded again and asked the question that burned in his heart. "Coud... could I learn magic?"
The man laughed. "Technically, I should say no... this world has incredible weak magic, only a rare few can cast spells here, and even them they are far weaker than normal... but yes, with my training and special tools, you could learn... I am an old man, and in truth though I am long lived I am no immortal... I could use an Apprentice... would you like to be that for me, my apprentice?"
"""
The boy beamed, so bright it made Gerald's heart ache, there was so much hope and joy it was genuinely hard to look at. He felt something he had not in so long... purpose, beyond his master's wishes. He felt a fatherly love, something he had long since denied himself, rising within his chest. A smile crossed his face as Rustin started to speak.
"That would be amazing, please, please... !"
Gerald had a secret, one only his master knew... he could see the future. Not amazingly well, not like his master could, but occasionally he could see tiny glimmers. It was how he found the Authors and gave them their pen. He knew that he would not survive the next twenty years, though the cause of his demise was unclear. He had been prepared for that... and yet, looking at this boy, and seeing the hope in his eyes, he felt a strong urge to live. Something he could not remember feeling for the last century!
"Welcome to my home, Rustin... and welcome to your first day of magic training. First, let's get you cleaned up. I will conjure you some clothes. Then we will start the basics. Of course, a strong body is needed to master magic, so you will also learn swordplay. Do not worry about being found, I will place barriers around my home to ensure you are safe from all prying eyes...before that though, how old are you?"
"Twelve,... I am twelve... and it's my birthday."
"A happy birthday then... now, go upstairs to the first door on the right. Enjoy the shower, you will have fresh clothes waiting for you when you are finished."
The boy nodded and hurried off, his smiling growing by the minute. The sight of which only lifted Gerald even higher.
'Please, Gods above, let his fate be a far happier one than those in this town... and a far happier one than my own fate... '
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
I needed a magical character that was not born with it but trained but it takes years to be good at magic. I had to give him time to grow, so I changed things up! Plus the Apprentice is an underused character.
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.
