Hello and welcome to my first story my chickies! This is an au world Fairy Tail fic, everyone still has magic, but it's far more difficult to tap into and only used as a last resort. Mostly romance revolving around GaLe/Gajeevy but there will be some other implications -hohoho~!- It's rated M for excessive amounts of violence and blood, and of course, for crude language. Please do try to enjoy it, criticism is welcome!
Au revoir~! Ciao! Bye-Bye!
Magnolia was a fine city, perfect to most in every way. There was just enough green to give off a friendly aura, just enough shops to make tourists feel welcome, just enough backstreets for those who preferred a life shrouded in darkness, and just enough homes to inhabit the citizens. A child's shrill laugh or a man's rumbling chuckle almost always inhabited the ears of the townspeople. Everyone was happy, because everything was and always had been okay. Things just had a way of working themselves out in a city like Magnolia; there was hardly ever a reason for intervention by the officials. Life was easy, because life was good.
Until that fateful day; as the saying goes, "All good things must come to and end."
An Ivan Dreyar was voted into office, and within weeks of his election into power, he had become the self-proclaimed dictator of Magnolia. He ruled with an iron fist, planting images of a greater city in the people's minds while quietly ridding the city of those who opposed him. The one's who saw through the thin veil of reassurance were hunted and killed brutally. While some citizens noticed the depleting population, most were convinced by the man who played the people like a pawn in his sickening game of chess. He dabbled with the lives of others without a second thought.
Unbeknownst to most of the population, the city of Magnolia was truly in trouble. Each day the council of Magnolia faced more and more charges from other cities, complaining about the behavior of the leader and his followers. Everyday the council sunk a little deeper into the muck Ivan had so neatly conjured up with several foul choices. The council deteriorated to a few straggling members, before they to, fled the failing system. The council sunk, the economy collapsed, and within the first year of Ivan's terrible reign the once majestic city had become little more then a shadowy slum.
The crime rate was at a record high, for petty thievery was the only way most could survive in a failed economy. Suicides and homicides became an every day ordeal, the sound of gunshots replaced the sound of laughter that had once lingered in the air. Criminals outnumbered the innocents, vandalizing and stealing and killing as they found necessary. Citizens fell asleep huddled together in the corners of their basements, sleeping to the raucous lullaby of gunshots. Everyday was a fight for your continued existence. No more laughter touched the ears of terrified elders and parents save the wild laughter of a criminal or drunk.
It was at this dire hour that Fairy Tail rose up to face the threat that was leadership. Fairy Tail, that had originally been a disorderly tavern tucked into the darkest corner of the city. Fairy Tail, that consisted mostly of wild drunkards and sadistic women. Fairy Tail, who's leader was a little man with a wildly colored palette of clothing, stepped up to the plate.
Time and time again Ivan attempted to squash the little group of rebels, but each and every time he failed.
Fairy Tail's influence spread far and wide, gently brushing the hearts of the people, giving them just a bit of hope to cling to. Hope that Ivan had worked so hard to vanquish. The war still wages on, it's been waging for seven years now.
Dilapidated buildings, broken windows, overcast sky, gray-faced men with deadened eyes wearing patchwork clothes, all of the dull scene raced by in a blur of drab gray. To most, it seemed as if she were a figment of the imagination, for she simply moved to quickly, she was far too small, and her hair was too absurdly colored to belong to anyone in the dull reality that was Magnolia.
Most passed her by without a backward glance, they had become accustomed to the delusion that accompanied the starvation and dehydration descended on Magnolia. However, she was indeed quite real. Her name was unknown to the public, for that was how she liked it. She was a 23-year old thief wanted all across Magnolia, but the fact that no one paid her any mind made her life fairly easy. Her hair was an absurd cornflower blue, cut short in the back, presumably by a botched thievery attempt. She stood just above 4"10', and she was about the fasted and stealthiest of her kind. She had a bounty on her head of 1.2 million Jewels, a bounty set by a man named Obra for the theft of his authentic voodoo doll. Obra was close to Ivan, which made him a dangerous opponent for the little thief. And so, when she was out in the light she ran so as to avoid being caught.
She ducked into an alley, pressing herself into the shadows just to be safe. Quick footfalls came and went, more then usual. As she had surmised, they had seen and had given chase this time. She waited a little over a minute after the last set of footsteps faded before exhaling noiselessly. She slid deeper into the alley, moving silently through grimy path after grimy path. Her eyes had become accustomed to the dim light of the alleys many years previous. The alleys were no longer a dark place full of bogey men, they were a way of life to her. The alleys were not something to laugh at, oh no, definitely not. But if one knew how to maneuver their way through them, they would find the little hidey holes that untrained eyes of bloodthirsty brutes would overlook.
She slid from each hiding spot to the next until she finally came to what appeared to be an improvised shack… No, not even. It was nothing more than several pieces of cardboard set over a couple garbage cans. Dried leaves and newspaper were spread on the ground beneath the makeshift home. A few items were set about the spot, such as a set of stolen shoes, Obra's stolen hat, several books, paper, ink, and a feather pen.
She ducked into the little shack, shaking out her wild azure hair. An audible groan passed her lips as she slumped against the makeshift wall. She gazed down at the stolen article of clothing grasped tightly in her hands. A victorious smirk spread across her childlike face. Without a second thought, she pulled the oversized shirt adorning her slight frame over her head and tossed it carelessly onto the ground. Most would have been severely uncomfortable changing there clothing outdoors, but she was used to it. She pulled the orange garment over her head, struggling with the ties that wrapped around her neck.
Clumsy, calloused fingers fumbled with the white satin strings wrapping behind her. She was rather uncoordinated as it was, a life on the streets of Magnolia had not turned her into the best knot-tyer. It simply wasn't a necessity. She gave an exasperated sigh when she finally succeeded in sloppily tying the knot. She gave a quiet snort and looked about to settle back onto the dirty ground before her stomach loudly protested.
She pouted but nodded in consent disappearing deep into the dank alley once more. She knew the Eastern end of Magnolia's alley's better than she knew herself, maneuvering her way through them was as easy as breathing to her; so it took little to no time at all until she was standing at the mouth of an alley peering into the darkness that had fallen over Magnolia so quickly. It was fall, once such a beautiful time of year now associated only with death, fall had become the bringer of the coming cold that would freeze old men's hearts while they slept. Not many in Magnolia could afford proper heating.
She wondered idly how she would survive this year, she wasn't exactly built to endure temperatures below freezing. Leaves crunching underfoot snapped her from her unfortunate wonderings. She tilted her head towards the sound, squinting her eyes against the darkness to try to make out the figure. From what she could see, it was a lone man, tall to, with a large build; it'd be trouble for her if she was caught up in a fight with him, she'd have to be extra careful.
She started forward moving with the shadows, curving her body so she to appeared to be a shadow distorted by lamplight. Moving closer to her target revealed how very tall he was, standing at the least a head above her. He moved with a swiftness that most men nowadays lacked; a smile curved her lip, perhaps he would be something of a challenge.
She extricated herself from the shadows, appearing quite suddenly in front of the man. She didn't stop walking, acting as if she had been directly in front of him the whole time. His eyes were downcast, he didn't take any notice of the girl until her shoulder bumped his chest. He blinked in surprise, raising his eyes to the little thing that he had bumped into.
"A-Ah! I'm sorry!" she stuttered in well-practiced surprise. As she did so, her hands passed lightly over his pockets, with a deft quickness slipping in and removing what had been in them and pocketing it, all in the time it took her to get out a nervous apology.
"Ah.." the giant of a man rumbled, flashing her an apologetic smile, "Don't worry yourself over it, Little One." He moved himself out of her way, bid her farewell, and started on his way again.
She stared after the man for a minute, brows furrowed. He had smiled? That was odd in and of itself, but he hadn't shoved her away either. For a moment, she felt almost bad for taking his things, he seemed like such a kindly fellow. But the thought evaporated from her mind as quickly at it had appeared.
The man passed under a street lamp, revealing just how tall he really was, and, to her surprise, dark ebony skin stretched over the massive form. 'A black man?' she wondered, tilting her head. There weren't many blacks in Magnolia to begin with, but the fact that Ivan was a well-known racist had sent the majority of what there had been running. She shrugged, turning away from him to start her way back home. She didn't like travelling in the dark; the dark housed things that she feared, such as the Sabers, an elite group of assassins and law-enforcers hired by Ivan. Or even worse, the Ravens, Ivan's personal assistants, all of which were with a single shred of mercy. She shuddered just thinking about what Obra would do to her if he found her.
Her decent into the alleys was halted however, when a strong hand wrapped around her upper arm and yanked her into the darkness. Every instinct in her tiny body told her to run, to kick, to scream, to fight, but whoever had grabbed her was much larger than her, was probably armed, and could probably knock her into the previous week with just his pinky finger. So she stayed perfectly still, she didn't make a sound, in fact, she acted as if this sort of thing happened everyday.
"Oi.." a deep voice growled in her ear, "you'd best return what you stole from him."
A cold sweat broke out on her pale skin. He had seen her? How?
"And what if I don't?" she whispered back, wincing when his already tight gripped tightened; she was losing circulation in her arm rather quickly. He snarled quietly then jerked his head up.
"Oi, Lil! Ye've been stolen from!" He shouted, yanking the girl with him as he moved out of the darkness. She moved with him without much fight, hatred burning in deep hazel eyes as she glared up at him.
The tall man turned back, making his way toward the two, amusement clearly sketched into his dark features. "Ah? I had thought so… My pockets were feeling a bit lighter after I bumped the little one." He trained his dark gaze on the man gripping her, disapproval coloring his eyes. "Now Gajeel, that's no way to treat a woman." He chided in a fatherly manner, gently tugging the seething child from his nephew's grip.
The man named Gajeel growled in Lily's general direction, but released the girl to the care of his 'uncle'. He turned his odd crimson eyes on the little blue thing that had been glaring daggers at him for the past several seconds. "Short-stuff here took yer wallet."
A snarl built in her throat at the nickname, and with a rather cat-like leap she lunged at the rude man, only to be gently, but firmly tugged down by Lily.
"Now, now, little one, fighting would not solve anything in this situation."
Gajeel's cruel laugh cut him off. "The little brat wants to fight? I could knock her out with both hands tied behind my back. With my eyes closed." He stated matter of factly, a malicious grin sliding across his large face.
Before Lily could chide him once more, the little one snapped a rather cunning reply back at him. "Do not treat me as if I am a child, you ugly brute! You may be larger than me but I assure you, one of my fists is bigger than the tiny brain inhabiting your head."
Lily guffawed at the dumbstruck look on Gajeel's face, but he decided amusing as this conversation was, he'd better do the talking before this little girl really made Gajeel angry.
"Little one, I would ask that you return what you have taken from me." He requested amiably, holding out a large hand.
She stared at the hand for a long while, brows furrowed in indecision. Finally, she pulled a leather wallet from her pocket, placing it in his hands. She looked away, quite obviously miffed with her predicament.
Lily smiled, pocketing his wallet for the second time that day before turning his stern gaze on the little blue haired thief. He opened his mouth to begin a lecture on why thievery was bad, as he did with every thief he came into contact with, but the terror that had replaced irritation on her face had the words dying on his tongue. Instead he whispered, "What is it?"
Gajeel to, had a much harder set to his jaw than before, staring fixatedly ahead.
"Obra…" was all she whispered, her bare feet edging backwards. "I.. I have to go.." she muttered, eyes wide with horror. "Can't let him find me.." she mumbled.
On a whim, Lily leaned forward and grasped the girl's wrist, all playfulness gone from his face. "Follow me." He ordered, and then his grip on her wrist was gone, and he was racing off into the night, Gajeel at his heels. It took only a moment of indecisive thought before she was running after them. She caught up rather quickly, her small size allowing her more freedom to move as she pleased, but Lily was quite fast to, and she thought it better to stay behind him. Which left her running next to Gajeel. He really was a giant of a man, even larger than Lily, with long, wild black hair hanging like a thick curtain down his back. The entirety of his body was pierced with shining metal studs. Crimson orbs were slitted in irritation.
"Little one!" Lily's deep voice broke the awkward silence, he had come to a stop in an alley she didn't know. She slid to a stop, stumbling a bit. Gajeel snickered softly at her rather poor stop, but he was silenced by the look Lily gave him. "What is your name?" Lily asked her gently, offering a kind smile.
Defiance colored her features, why should she tell them? "I don't recall." She lied through her teeth, gazing up at the man.
Lily chuckled softly, shaking his large head. "I think you do recall. You have nothing to fear little one, we will not give out your information."
She hesitated, leaning against a brick wall for support. It had been years since she'd told anyone her name, let alone since she'd heard her name from another's mouth. Finally she mumbled, "Levy.."
"What?" Gajeel taunted, leaning closer, "You'll have to speak up, I can't hear you from all the way down there."
He stumbled back in surprise however, when hazel eyes dark with anger met his head on. "I said, my name is Levy!" she nearly shouted, grimacing at the sour taste her name left in her mouth. "Levy McGarden."
That's right Levy! You tell them off! Well! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of "Bite Me"! Ask me questions, I'll answer! Be good my chickies! I'll try to update weekly. UPDATES EVERY SUNDAY! -I hope!- Until then~!
Ciaosu! 3