Chapter 1 - I'm Listening...
Another noon was passing by. For Arcane, it felt like the day went on forever. In the Spellbound Circus, he was the apprentice of Hocus Pocus, the magician that came to see. “Apprentice” was a real stretch. It was really more of a stage identity. In reality, he was Hocus Pocus’s errand boy. It wouldn’t be so bad if only Hocus Pocus at least treated him as a student so he could at least do some magic, but because of his inflated ego, Hocus Pocus wouldn’t waste the extra effort to teach the earth pony who was a year or two short of being a full grown stallion any tricks when he could focus on his own routines that were almost about to make him world famous and instead have Arcane be a chore-foal.
It was too far to say that it was all bad. Arcane was never talked down to or hurt by Hocus Pocus. He did after all take him off the streets when there was no pony around who recognized the lonely foal. But still, years later, the ponies he grew with was the closest he's had to a family. They were around when Arcane needed help. They made sure he was fed, but he didn't receive so much love beyond that. He was only, after all, the foal that worked along with every pony else at Spellbound Circus. He did get to pick up a trade or two while he was with the circus. He learned how to repair a cart, how to repair, how to handle bits, and he's even picked up just a few tricks from a long time of watching the performers practice. Besides from that, it was an upbeat, lighthearted atmosphere… as long as you were a performing star.
Nopony ever came for - ever admired - ever wanted - ever loved the nameless clowns… or the magician's foal. For practically his whole life, he's had to watch so many ponies go in and out of his life that will never know him by his name, but they will never forget what a great magician Hocus Pocus was.
If there was anything that Arcane did to help himself was to just carryon with his every day, focusing on aha he had to do and at the moment, he needed to get Hocus Pocus a wand from his room before the show starts.
When Arcane entered Hocus Pocus's wagon he heard a mysterious feminine voice calling his name promisingly. After a moment to make sure his imagination wasn't messing with him, he searched for where the voice was coming from, eventually tracing it to a book underneath the bed. Slowly, he pulled out the book to inspect it. It opened on its own and he couldn't help but grasp and drop it. His chest beat as a hologram of an unworldly face of a female it seemed.
"It's okay, it's okay…" it whispered. "I want to help you, Arcane."
A life as an apprentice at Spellbound Circus prepared him for this level of strangeness, keeping himself quiet and intrested rather than quiet and passed out.
"I'm…The Spirit."
"H-how do you know my name? Wait, wait. What's going on? No. What are you…?"
"Calm down. I'm… a guardian. From this book, I've watched over this troupe, but it seems like you need my help."
"With what? I'm all right."
"Oh, really? You have to be the world's oldest blank-flank. You don't have anything missing from your life? A deep loneliness? A wish for friends?'
Arcane felt hot in the face. He rubbed the back of his neck beneath his short black mane. The Spirit knew him a little too well, but Arcane was willing to look past it. The Spirit is the only one he knows that has taken the time to understand him. She was the first one to even acknowledge his problem and, let alone, help him through them.
"Today, you will be the one receiving the love and respect of fillies and colts by the hundreds."
"What?"
"Foal!" Hocus Pocus called as he marched into the wagon. "It's only on the des…"
Hocus Pocus's eyes began to slowly close and his body swayed. Arcane rushed over to him, trying to help him stand upright. Hocus Pocus was slowly lowered to the floor as he was suddenly lost to an unusual sleep. Arcane looked at him in shock.
"Well, now here's your once-in-a-lifetime chance. Go and take it."
"W-what? B-but Hocus-"
"Everypony's waiting. You're a talented foal. You should know some magic. You'll do great. I'll be with you, as long as you want my help…"
"…Okay. I trust you."
A clown could be heard outside calling looking for the star magician. Arcane couldn't be seen with Hocus Pocus knocked out. It would take a miracle to explain that a newfound spirit in a book put his boss to sleep. Everything had happened so fast, he wasn't even completely sure that that was what actually happened. And Arcane, a little shocked, wouldn't be able to think of a decent lie to a cover it.
Wasting no more time, Arcane snuck out. He approached the clown.
"I found Hocus Pocus knocked out in his wagon. I can't wake him up."
"Geez… The crowd's not going to like this. He was a big part of the act, too."
"I can cover for him. I can do a magic act, too. I-I'm like the next generation of Hocus Pocus. They'll love me."
The clown looked around considering his options. He didn't feel too sure about letting the foal perform for the first time to replace the star act, but the truth of the matter is that there is no other option and time was something that he didn't have either.
"Alright, kid. Let's get you in costume."
