Sometime in the past…
The wind howls through the dark forest chilling everything to the bone. A young woman runs through this forest, carrying a small bundle in her arms. Muffled wails can be heard as the small creature shivers from the icy wind.
"Shsss… Thea you'll be safe soon." The woman coo's to the bundle.
Snow begins to fall and the woman struggles to keep going. Looking closely at the woman reveals that she is gravely injured. The woman stumbles and falls, still clutching the bundle to her chest. The woman mutter something under her breath and the small bundle begins to slowly disappear. Concealment Magic.
"She ran over this way!"
"Come on we can't let her get away!"
Voices say from a distance. The sound of rushing footsteps are closing in. The woman places the small bundle at the base of a nearby tree.
"Forgive me…" says the woman as she gets up and continues running. A few minutes later several men rush by, never noticing the bundle. All the while two creatures looked on with great interest…
A little into the future…
"Child you have to feel the magic flowing through you. You can't just expect it to be there."
"Yes mom…" The girl says as she twirls an ice crystal in her hand.
"Thea… You have so much magic power in you but if you never learn to control it…"
"I know… I know… It'll destroy me…"
"Come now back to your training."
"Yes ma'am."
"Remember that your father must train you too."
Seven years into the past from present…
"Mom…? Dad…? Where are you guys?" The dark entrance of the cave I called home was completely empty.
"Where did you guys go…?" I sank to my knees and started to cry.
A week later…
"Young miss are you alright?" said a voice behind me. Through blurry vision I saw a couple of people standing behind me. Without really thinking I leap into the persons arms.
"My parents left me… I… I don't have anywhere left to go…"
"Another one?" one of the people said.
"Just like Natsu…" I didn't realize at the time but these people who surrounded me would soon become my family…
Present…
I'm sitting at the guild bar after completing a long tiring job when Mirajane walks up to me with a glass of water.
"Hey Thea, how was the job?" She said handing me the water.
"I think I beat my record." I said smiling up at her.
"Oh really! How many monsters did you go up against?"
"Around two-hundred and ten give or take." I look a sip of water as Mirajane tally's up my new score.
"That's thirty-six more than last time."
Mira looked up behind me and started waving.
"Your admirer is back." She said with a giggle. I started choking on my water.
"What!?..." I managed to say.
"Oh come on, it's not like everyone can't see it." A voice said behind me. It belonged to Erza. "Laxus always stares at you."
"Don't you have a job to get to Erza?" I said while glaring at her. She laughed and walked away.
"Mr. Broody always stares from the second floor, it's not me he's staring at." I put my head on the counter and Mira just laughed.
"Mira the guild hall seems quieter today."
"Yeah Natsu left a couple of days ago… Something about looking for a Salamander?"
I sigh when she says that. Natsu when are you going to realize that you're not going to find them on this plane any longer…?
"Just because you gave up on finding your parents, doesn't mean Natsu has to as well." Master Makarov came up and said.
"I didn't give up… They are no longer in this world, so I find it pointless to continue believing that I can find them."
"How do you know they're no longer here?" Master said giving me a questioning look.
"I don't know how to explain it… But I can feel their presence, and they just all disappeared. Well a few and by a few I mean only one, and it's not like the ones that raised me and Natsu." I said with a sad smile. "However if anyone can find them and bring them back its Natsu." Master didn't say anything back, and an eerie silence drifted across the bar.
"Have you told Natsu any of this?"
"No master, and I have no plans to." I paused. "As of now you're the only person I've told."
"Then let's keep this between us." I nodded and got up from the bar.
"Thea where are you going?" one of the guild members asked.
"Taking a walk."
As I walk through the woods that surround Magnolia, I come across a cave hidden by the woods plant life. I walk inside and sit amongst the rocks.
"Even though I've acclimated to living indoors nothing beats the feeling a cave brings." I close my eyes and lean against the rock wall.
Thea this technique I'm showing you will allow you to sense others like me as well as those as yourself…
Do you know how special you are Thea? The balance of Light and Dark dwells inside your body…
As a dragon-slayer you are unique in that you can wield any type of dragon-slayer magic without having to be taught…
You are the Harbinger and Herald Dragon-Slayer…
Remember Thea keep the balance with in yourself don't let the darkness take over or risk losing your pure spirit…
"I never asked for this, I never wanted to be… to be some all-powerful slayer." I feel myself slipping and I put my head in my heads. Suddenly I can hear laughter it sounds so evil and menacing a shiver runs down my spine. It's then that I realize that the laughter is coming from me.
NO! STOP LAUGHING! You can't slip! You can't fall to the darkness! SNAP OUT of it Thea! SNAP out of it!
As much as I try to pull myself back the crazed laughter audited from my mouth keeps growing louder and louder.
"Thea." A voice says in the distance. It seems so far away as I slip further into madness.
"Thea you're not going to let a little self-doubt darken your heart are you?"
Self-doubt? My eyes widen and I slowly start to pull myself from the brink.
Mom would have never given up on me. My friends and family at Fairy Tail would never let me slip. I can't doubt myself when I got them looking after me and rooting for me.
The laughter begins to quiet and the world around me turned black.
I wake up in the infirmary, silence consumes me as someone walks into the room.
"When was the last episode?" Master says as he walks up to the bed I was in.
"Which one my latest one or the one before?" I asked dryly.
"Thea! I don't think you understand the enormity of your situation!" Makarov yelled at me.
"Over two years ago…" I sighed as I look out the window
"What triggered this one?" He asked.
"Self-doubt…" I turned to face Master. "Please don't give me that speech again. I know I have to control my feelings and actions, but every once in a while a person needs to vent. It won't happen again, I promise." Makarov smiled and walked out of the room.
As I sat up in the bed my mind raced as to who brought me back to the guild hall.
No one knew where I was… Well not unless someone followed me… which would be sort of creepy…
"Hey Sparky, you know if you continue to pass out in the woods like that, someone is going to take advantage of that body of yours." I glance over at door to the infirmary and see Laxus staring down at me. "Lucky for you I'm a gentleman."
"Gentleman huh…?" I said standing up and putting my hands on my hips. Laxus walked up to me and pulled my chin upwards.
"If it was any other guy I'm sure they'd love to try you out." He said as his lips brushed by my ear and his arm wrapped around my waist.
"Someone is getting brave." I said as heat rose to my cheeks. I twitched my wrist and frozen lightning jumped from my body to his. He winced as it struck his body.
"That's cold Sparky." He said as he detached himself from me. I smiled as I walked past him. As I walked past the infirmary door a chair decided to try and greet my face. AS the chair was about to connect, when a bolt of lightning crossed my vision and ash blew across my face. I was shocked and looked to the direction the lighting came from and saw Laxus walking towards the second floor stairs.
I guess Natsu is back… Damn… How long was I unconscious?
I walk towards the guild bar and notice a girl I've never seen before talking to Mirajane.
"It's like this all the time here." Mirajane was telling the girl. The girl looked astonished, as I walked up. Mirajane turned to me and smiled.
"Glad to see you up and moving around again."
"Glad to be back." I said returning her smile. I turned to the girl standing near me. "Hi nice to meet you. The name is Thea." I said sticking my hand out to her.
"Hello I'm Lucy." We shook hands and I turned my attention back to Mira.
"So how long was I out?"
"For a couple days. We were all surprised when Laxus carried you through the door unconscious." She said with a grimace on her face. "You know he never left the infirmary while you were in there." I glared at her and she just laughed. I glanced over at Lucy who looked confused at mine and Mira's exchange.
"Don't ask…," Was the only thing I said as I walked away. However while walking away I heard Mira whispering to Lucy,
"Laxus has a crush on her, and she has a crush on him. But they both will deny it."
Sheesh Mira….
Laxus's Perspective
I walk into the guild hall and see Mira waving at me from the guild bar, and notice Thea sitting at the counter. I can still remember the day she came to Fairy Tail…
Seven years ago…
I'm reclining against one of the pillars when Macao and a couple others walk into the guild hall. Slowly a girl walks in behind them. Her eyes watch the ground as she pushes a strand of hair behind her ear. She seems timid and unsure of what to do.
She looked up and made eye contact with me. Her purplish-blue eyes were glazed over with tears. Her mouth curled into a small smile as her face became red. She gently tugged at the ends of her shirt and looked back down. Suddenly I felt a tap on my shoulder and draw my attention away from the girl.
"Hey Laxus…" Mira said to me. "Why are you staring at that girl?" Mira tugged at my arm.
"Let go Mira." Annoyed I glared at her.
"Oh come on Laxsy…" She begged.
I yanked my arm away from her grasp and turned my head back to the girl. Slowly I felt the magic energy near me increase, as Mirajane's anger grew.
"Fine. We'll see how your new toy likes this."
Toy…? I just shook my head, as Mira walked over to the girl with her fist clenched. The girl looked back up when someone yelled,
"Mirajane don't!"
Mira used her take-over magic and assumed her "She-Devil", Satan
Soul form. The girl cocked her head to the side as Mira began to charge her. The girl looked like she was about to dodge, but Mira was just too fast. Her hand locked around the girl's throat, and slammed her into the brick wall.
The girl screamed and blood streaked down her face. Mirajane smiled and threw her into some of the guild tables before the girl could recover. Mira loomed over her body when the girl slowly stood back up. Mirajane pulled her arm back to punch the girl, but before the blow could connect the girl grabbed her fist and twisted her arm. I heard a sickening snap as Mirajane's arm broke, and the girl muttered something and a strong gust of wind blew Mira back into a pillar.
Mira slumped to the ground and the girl started to pick wood splinters out of her arms and legs. Several of the guild members ran over to help up Mirajane, but she pushed them away and stood on her own. Mira glared at the girl and rushed her, pulling her still good arm back to hit the girl. The girl already on edge from Mira's earlier attacks, dodged the potential blow by jumping backward, and landing atop a table.
Mirajane screamed in rage and jumped into the air using her wings to hover over the girl. The girl tried to move into an area that would make Mirajane's flying ability useless, but Mira flashed in front of her blocking her path. Mira spun around bringing her leg up to kick the girl. The girl brought up her hands to block the kick but was still flown back into the guilds bar. The girl body became limp as she howled out in pain, Mira however just smiled and started to walk back to me.
Filled with disgust for what she just did I ignored her and started to move away, when the girl slowly dragged her body off the ground. Her blueish-purple hair was now matted with blood and hung in her face. She was hunched over with blood running down her arms and legs, giving her a ghoulish appearance. Slowly she raised her upper body up and lumped her head to the side.
"Hey bitch!" the girl yelled. "We aren't done yet!"
Mirajane froze in her tracks and turned around looking like she was about to rip the girl to pieces.
"No one calls me BITCH!" Mira yelled as she wheeled around and ran towards the girl. The magic energy from the girl flooded the room causing several of the guilds members, who were yelling all through this exchange to become silent. An emotion I never thought I could feel raced down my spine. FEAR. Mirajane somehow unaffected by this sudden shift in energy barreled down towards the girl, and grabbed her by the throat.
Something changed in Mira when she touched the girl, her eyes widened and it looked like she had begun shaking. The girl's lips spread into a broken smile and she raised her hand to Mirajane's abdomen.
"Herald Dragon Lightning Spear." The girl said with a cold voice, and seconds later Mira was screaming as lighting passed through her body. Mira dropped the girl, and fell to her knees as she coughed up blood. The girl kicked Mirajane sending her flying into several pillars. Mira slowly got to her feet as the girl swayed her head to the other side and looked at her from underneath her hair.
"Harbinger Dragon Inferno." The girl said as a red magic circle drew its self underneath Mirajane. Mira tried to move but a swirling tornado of fire consumed her. Mirajane screamed as her flesh was being burned away. Mirajane collapsed to the ground breathing raggedly but still wanting to fight. I heard the girl smirk.
"Harbinger Dragon Stone Hammer." The fire around Mira vanished and two stone pillars rose and crushed her between them. Slowly the conjoined pillars crumbled revealing an unconscious Mirajane. I looked back at the girl who was now slumped against one of the pillars of the guild hall. She placed her hand on her abdomen and muttered,
"Herald Dragon Healing Aura…" and a green magic circle appeared on her back.
Someone yelled something about Mirajane drawing my attention to her and noticed the same magic circle on her abdomen. A thump a few seconds later had my attention back on the girl however. The girl was on her hands and knees, fighting for air, as several members of the guild rushed Mirajane to the infirmary
"What's going on here!?" I heard the old man yell.
"Mira and the new girl got into a fight." Erza informed him. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the girl get to her feet and walk over to the old man.
"I'm sorry…" The girl said as she winced in pain. "I didn't want to hurt anyone… I healed the girl's internal injuries, however I don't have the strength to heal her broken bones…" Blood streamed down her face and the girl clutched her side, as she began to sway and lost consciousness.
Not really sure what I was doing, I rushed over and caught the girl. I heard a couple of gasps as I stood with her in my arms.
"Laxus take her to the infirmary." The old man said. I nodded and stared to walk away, still hearing the whispering voices from the other guild members. Half way to the infirmary the girl in my arms stirred and fluttered her eyes. She turned her head into my chest and mumbled,
"Safe… Warm…" For some reason heat rose to my cheeks and I tightened my grip on her. I looked down at her and saw she was smiling. The heat in my face increased as I walked through the infirmary door…
Present…
My attention was drawn back to the present when Thea stands up from the bar and walks out of the guild. Feeling that something was very wrong I walk out after her. I follow her scent till a coarse laughter fills my ears. I recognize the voice as Thea's but only barely, I head towards the sound until I come to a cave tucked between some forest foliage.
Suddenly the laughter quits and I raise an eyebrow. I walk into the cave and come to an unconscious Thea. My eyes widen with worry and I rush over to her. I kneel down in front of her, take off my jacket, and put it around her shoulders before gently scooping her up in my arms.
"Jeez Thea…" I sighed as I started walking back to the guild. "Please don't do this to me again." I leaned my head down and kissed her on her forehead.
When I walk through the door every eye in the guild hall connects with mine.
"Laxus! What happened!?" Mirajane yells. Gramps walks up to me and frowns.
"Where did you find her?" he asked.
"In a cave. She was laughing then fell unconscious." The old man looks down and nods.
"Take her to the infirmary."
I continue on my path to the infirmary after that.
As softly as I could I place Thea in one of the beds and sit by her side. The old man walks in and stands on the other side of the bed.
"Do you know what happened Laxus?"
"How the hell should I know!?" I retorted angrily.
Seriously old man you're going to question me now, when my girl is unconscious, possibly in serious trouble.
"I saw her walk off, felt something was off, and followed. When I found her she was already unconscious."
"Her last episode was so long ago… Why did this happen now…" the old man whispered.
"Episodes?" I said as I looked at Thea's face. "What episodes?" The old man looked up at me with a grim face.
"Thea…" He sighed. "Thea as you might know is a dragon-slayer like Natsu and yourself. But she isn't a normal dragon-slayer she has the balance of light and dark magic inside her body. She is the Herald and the Harbinger. From what I've been told by her, she can have episodes when one side completely takes over, and she loses control of herself." Gramps paused. "She says she's never hurt anyone during one of these episodes, but…" He looked at her face and started to walk away.
"Watch after her Laxus… She needs protection." He said as he reached the door. "Don't tell anyone what I just told you."
He left after that leaving me alone with Thea. I looked over at her sleeping face and smiled. I wouldn't leave her side until she re-awoke.
It's been two days since Thea collapsed in the cave and she still shows no sign of waking up. She'll sometimes move in her sleep, and move her hand as if searching for something. Noticing this I gently take her hand in mine and bring it to my lips. The corner of her mouth raise into a small smile as I lay our hands back down on the bed.
"That was bold Laxus." Mirajane said carrying a tray, and placing it on the table beside me.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Flustered I quickly take my hand away. Mira just smiled and walked to the edge of Thea's bed.
"Still no sign of waking up huh…" She said and I draw my eyes back to Thea. A pained expression passes over my face, and I gently caress her face.
At that moment Thea's eyes began to flutter.
"Mira go get the old man I think she's waking up!" Mira quickly exited the room and the old man walked in a few minutes later.
"Laxus leave please." He said. I crossed my arms and just stared at him.
"Bullshit." I said. "I'm not leaving her side. She's my girlfriend she needs me."
"Laxus!" He gave me a glare, and begrudgingly I walked out of the room. I saw him leave a few moments later and I walked back into the room. I saw Thea sitting up in bed and a wave of relief washed over me. I had the urge to rush over to her and hug her but something else happened entirely.
"Hey Sparky." I said. Sparky was the name I gave her after her and Mirajane's fight seven years ago. "You know if you continue to pass out in the woods like that someone is going to take advantage of that body of yours."
Not like I'd ever let that happen... Thea turned her head and looked at me.
"Lucky for you I'm a gentleman." Thea stood and placed her hands on her delicious hips. Seeing her stand like that made my heart race.
"Gentleman huh…" She said as I walked up to her, and gently tugged her chin upward.
"If it were another guy, I'm sure they'd love to try you out." I whispered in in her ear as my other arm snaked around her waist.
She smells and feels so good…
"Someone is getting brave." She said as something cold struck my body, forcing me to detach from Thea.
"That's cold Sparky." I said as she walked past me, with a smile on her face. She was completely unaware as she walked out of the room that a chair was nearly about to connect with her face, before I vaporized it. In a ploy of looking innocent I walk toward the second floor stairs as Thea turned her head at me.
When I got to the top I noticed Thea back at the bar. I tried listening to her conversation but even with my hyper-sensitive hearing the only thing I could make out was the last bit.
"You know he never left the infirmary while you were in there." Mira said causing my face to heat up.
"Damn it Mirajane keep your mouth shut…" I whispered to myself as the conversation continued.
"Don't ask…" Thea sighed as she headed for the stairs.
"Laxus has a crush on her and she has a crush on him, but the both will deny it." Mira finished.
Deny it? We both already know how we feel about each other…