My fingers began to num as long as I'd sat outside, questioning if this was really where my future belonged. The moon's light barely lit the heavy, wooden doors beside me and behind them lied maybe a new family… if they'd accept me. Years have gone by and I still had no place to call home but I'd never known a reason to have one. The warm air came out as a cloud when I sighed.
"How long are you going to sit there in the snow?" I glanced up. Minx stared down at me, a coffee in her hand.
"Because," I whined, brushing the fallen flakes from my hair. "I'm more comfortable when I'm in my element." I lied. I just didn't want to go in that guild. I keep hearing that Fairy Tail is this magical place, with this wonderfully tight knit family but what if it's not meant for me? What if I'm the same outsider I've been for a years now? I'm a wandering mage that doesn't like wearing clothes, doing any odd job in small towns to pay for food with my exceed and a pair of headphones I'm overprotective of. On top of that, I'm not entirely "normal" by most people's standards. It's questionable if anyone would even want me to join they're perfect little family picture.
I stared at her with puppy dog eyes, hoping that maybe she would have just let me sit out there pout. I was wrong, as always with Minx, despite her being a best friend for as long as I could remember.
"Don't make me drag you in there." She said calmly from behind her little to go cup. Her mint green paw was so small compared to the green logo on the cup.
"You know what!?" I jumped up from the ground as if I was ready to go into the large guild, with excitement in my voice that would hopefully get me off the hook "I'm hungry, maybe we should hit up that cafe we saw a few miles back." I turned in the opposite direction only to have her grab me by my shoulder.
"I'm sure they have food inside, let's go." The exceed transformed into her battle mode, surpassing my height by a half of a foot. I stared up at her as she grabbed my shoulder.
"Please don't make me go in! What if they don't want any new members?" I begged and struggled against her grip. She threw me over her shoulder like I was nothing compared to her strength. "Put me down, I'm wearing a skirt! I don't want to do it anymore."
Why was she ignoring me!? I just didn't want to go anymore, it was going to kill me to be turned down by another guild. I flailed my arms and legs, attempting to put up a fight without using my magic against her out. In the midst of our small commotion, the doors opened. Out came a guy with spiky pink hair and a somewhat irritated scowl. His black eyes widened when they finally landed on the two of us.
"Who the hell are you?" His voice wasn't hostile, wasn't mean spirited but curious. Suddenly, I just couldn't speak. My words and air became jumbled and stuck in the back of my throat. I could already feel the red flooding my cheeks as he waited for the coherent answer I couldn't give at them moment. I nudged Minx in the back with my knee, waiting for her to answer.
She dropped me and extended a hand to Natsu. "We're here to join Fairy Tail."
I watched his gorgeous eyes widen, a big, goofy smile breaking out across his lips. He shook Minx's hand before helping me up. I think I held onto his hand a little longer than necessary but he didn't seem to mind. "H-hi."
"Come on!" He dragged me in through the very doors I had been dreading for the past hour, calling out, "Gramps!"
"Yes, Child?" A short man with rosy red cheeks responded from his seat on the bar counter. He seemed to gently sway from side to side in a drunken haze. He was an adorable old man with his little hat but he most definitely didn't soothe the butterflies fluttering through my stomach. He became a little more alert when his eyes wandered from our joined hands up to my face, "Who is this?"
"Uhhhh…" He glanced down at me with a perplexed look playing across his face then back to the old man, "A girl with a name… and nice face…"
I nearly choked, thinking he had complimented me. It was when he looked back to me with a blank look, that I realized he'd stated it purely as an observation, completely oblivious to my reaction. I could already feel that all too familiar embarrassed heat slowly creeping up the back of my neck. I looked back at "Gramps", "I-I- uh- I'm Grace. Grace Royal. I'm sorry to interrupt your evening. I could just come back tomorrow morning." (Or never).
I turned to leave before I could get any more questioning side glances or the fighting around me could get anymore heated. I really wasn't looking forward to getting hit in the back of the head with a chair as so many other Fairies already had.
"I will have none of that!" Gramps spoke up, his voice gruff and stern. A shiver ran up my spine, slightly fearing for his explanation as to why he would turn me away. I knew my excuse didn't make sense but rejection wasn't my favorite subject when it came to emotions. It just gave me this twisted feeling in my gut and my ego took another hit just because of my magic. My heart wrenched as I turned back around to face him head on.
I would take it like a big girl and move on to the next guild. Gramps stood up on the bar countertop, "Listen up, Brats!" Oh God, he was going to make it a public announcement, "We have a new members!" I stared at him, blinking for a while. Did he just say what I thought he said? My question was answered with the roar of cheers from what looked like drunk members.
"You… you don't need to know anything? Like my strength or anything?" I thought that was like a mandatory kind of question. It seemed to be all the other guilds cared about.
"We do need to know a few things." He settle back down on the counter, a smile breaking out over his face, "What's your friend's name and is she going to be a member?"
I glanced down at Minx and she looked up at him with those big, googly eyes, attempting to come off as innocent as she stood there in her little blue sundress. "Minx. She's been with me since I was little and she'll become a member along with me...if that's okay" She nodded, a grin on her face.
He nodded, "We have plenty of exceeds here already. She's very welcome." I looked around to find a blue cat flying about the sexy pink haired guy and a little white one standing on the table next to a pink haired girl. I smiled, knowing my best friend could her to know others like her, "What kind of cheesecake do you want?"
"What?" I was sure my expression showed nothing but pure confusion but he only continued to stare at me, waiting for an answer, "Strawberry, I guess?" A redhead standing beside Gramps screamed out in excitement and was out the door before I could really see her face or ask any questions. My head was spinning, seeing so many people, so many happy faces because I wanted to be one of them. Not a word had been asked about my strength and control or what I could do and it had been a huge relief.
"Last question," He stroked his cute, little mustache, like he was truly contemplating it carefully, "Where do you want your stamp?"
"Right over my heart!" I answered quickly and without a thought. I'd been thinking about it for a long time. I'd never known why I needed or wanted a family but I always knew it would just feel right to have other people in my life, besides Minx. I wanted a family that would stand by my side no matter what came my way and whoever wanted to help bear my my burdens, and I theirs, deserved a place in my heart. That's where I'd always want to be for them.
A white haired woman came up beside me, a large stamp in hand. She was gorgeous with blue eyes like my own and snow white hair. She was like the epitome of winter beauty, everything I love about the season personified. "What color do you want?"
"Silver!" Everything was moving so quickly. Once this stamp was on my body, they had accepted me as their own. I would have a family again. I smiled at the woman as she pressed the magic tool to my chest, she returned it. When she pulled it away, she handed me a mirror. The fairy insignia was such a pure white it gleamed silver. Now that it was there, I could show the world what guild I belonged to.
"Did I do good or what?" The white haired woman put her hands on her hips and smirked at the perfectly centered and shimmering tattoo.
"Of course you did!" I hugged her tight, loving her with all of my heart at the moment. She couldn't have done a better job. The lines were so perfectly placed against my skin. It had to take a lot of magical energy concentration to get something like this. I finally let her go, "Thank you so much."
"You're welcome, hon. My name is Mirajane, by the way." Mira smiled at me, brightly and genuinely like she had already accepted me as her friend within the few seconds I had been in the guild. All my uncertainties and fears were washed away with this happiness. At the same time, it felt like so much more than simple happiness. The new feeling shook through me, finally grounding me to the reality that this would be my new life. It brought me this kind of bliss I never knew I'd been missing out on.
It may have been hope. Love. Joy. Faith. Whatever it was, it was welcome into the open arms of my lifting heart. I was well aware of the fact that that had sounded so incredibly cheesy, but it was true. I finally understood what I had been losing since my dragon went missing.
The double doors came flying open again, and in came the redhead that had ran out screaming happily. In her arms was a tall pile of pink bakery boxes, from the one shop we'd seen on the way here. Looking around, I spotted out Minx.
"Did you get your tattoo yet?" I asked, eyes wandering her small, cat-like form for the new tattoo. She turned around and revealed her gray fairy on her lower neck. It matched the gray patches that already patterned her mint green fur. "It looks so nice."
The guild had gone back to fighting and talking amongst themselves, leaving me to feel like an outsider with Minx. That was until someone grabbed me and pulled my into the depths of the crowd. I grabbed at Minx's tail, dragging her with me as someone pulled me by the back of my white tank top. Panic began to flood my system as I was being pulled away and no one seemed to notice.
Was this normal here?
I was plopped down into a seat and surrounded by other girls. They're faces were bright, gleaming with curiosity and I just felt like a deer caught in headlights. I couldn't comprehend why they had been staring at me so intently.
"I'm Lucy!" The blonde that had dropped me into the seat spoke up first. Her brown eyes sparkled with excitement and I couldn't help but return it. "The drunk is Cana, the short one is Levy, the redhead eating cheesecake is Erza, the little girl is Wendy, and the bluenette drooling over that shirtless guy is Juvia!" My head snapped around the table, trying to follow her finger as she pointed out each and every girl. She continued to point out a few of the other girls that hadn't bothered to come over but raised their glasses or nodded to me from across the room.
So these were the girls… I went over their names in my head once more, to make sure I got everyone. They were all so different and it was so evident in their looks. We talked for what felt like hours and it just felt good. I'd learned so much about their open personalities in such a short time and they learned about me. They couldn't stop asking questions and I loved it. Until Lucy asked the next question, stirring up old emotions.
"I love your headphones. Where'd you get them?" Lucy asked out of innocent curiosity.
"Oh" A sad smile found it's way across my lips as my hand unconsciously moved to the black earphone cushion. The blue metal of the headphones' outer shell was still cold from being outside in the bitter winter weather. But they still felt warm, not because of the icy magic coursing through my veins, I guess. They're warm because the person that gave them to me was always warm. Silence awkwardly hung over the table of fairy tail girls but I couldn't bring myself to care.
"Winter, she gave her the headphones as a gift... before she went missing." Minx chimed in for me. My mind had gone blank and a blush washed across my cheeks as they stared at me with eyes of pity.
"I'm sorry guys! I didn't mean to kill the mood!" I began to panic.
"No! It's okay but who was Winter to you?" The short bluenette peeped into the conversation for the first time since I'd sat down. I looked at her, slightly alarmed that I'd have to explain. This is where everything always went wrong. When I told people I was a dragon slayer they automatically wanted me to show off and when I couldn't keep control, they'd always distance themselves from me.
"Winter was her dr-" None too gently, I slapped my hand over her mouth. I know Minx thought she was being helpful with such a sensitive topic but I'd never told her exactly how I felt about. No matter how close we became, there were always just some things I had to keep to myself. She glared at me with death in her eyes and I returned a pleading look, silently begging that she would just leave it alone. Minx knew me well enough to leave me be on certain matters.
"She was a really close friend and I have seen her since X777." The statement had been partially honest. Winter had been my family and close friend since before I could remember. It hurt when people called her little more than a myth and I wasn't going to put myself through that for no reason.
"It's just there's other people here who lost their loved ones. Like Natsu." The blonde attempted to stop my unnerving. She pointed to the pinkette I'd met at the guild doors. My face was getting redder by the second as I looked at Natsu from across the room.
He had gorgeous onyx eyes like a black snow storm. Dangerous and caring, somehow at the same time. I felt a weird coiling twinge in the pit of my stomach, a slight moan rolled off my tongue.
The very man I was drooling over looked at me almost immediately after I'd let that noise leave my mouth. God. Did he hear me?
His eyes widened as he looked at something behind me. I came to from my daze just in time to hear the calls and warnings. Turning in my seat, I saw the chair flying across the room, toward me. Before I knew it, I was freezing the wooden chair into a block and it was falling to the ground.
Now completely shedding my daze, I stood from my table, feeling a roar rise up my throat, "WHO THE HELL THREW IT!?"
"I did. What're you gonna do about it?"
A really, really, really big guy walked up, looking about as gothic as they come with studs down his face and long black hair. He looked like a raven to say the least. A very intimidating looking raven but the 12 inch height difference didn't stop me from standing face to face with him. More like chest to face but you get the point, right?
"AND WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" The agitation in my voice was growing because of this piece of shit. He could have at least said sorry. I would have been fine with a simple apology but if he was going to have an attitude, it was only right that I matched it.
"None of your business." The smug look on his face was disturbing my peace. I've never been a very violent person. That is until you decide you really want to test what kind of person I am.
"Look," I reigned back in on my emotions. He wasn't the kind of guy to just give into yelling so I'd just have to get under his skin in a different way. "I know you're an insignificant fucker but if you have any kind of self respect, you should get out of my face before I kick your ass up and down the block."
"Really?" He growled out in a mocking tone. His hand fisted the front of my bralette top, scrunching the fabric tightly around my form and lifting me onto my tip toes. When I didn't respond he let out a sadistic, howling laughter erupted from him into the deathly silence of the guild as we gained plenty of watchers.
I knew he wasn't going to kill me or anything for the simple fact of what Fairy Tail had stood for and he was indeed a fairy. Of course, this hadn't stopped me from slamming my foot into his stomach. Needless to say, his hand released from my shirt but he slammed his fist into my face.
The second my ass hit the floor and I skid back, the entire room broke out into a fighting frenzy and most enjoyed it. Every single moment of action seemed like I was going to fit in more and more.
I quickly iced the floor beneath his feet, watching as he struggled to keep balance. His expression became more and more exasperated and irritated the longer he stood there trying to scramble to his feet. I sprung up from the floor, attempting to use my momentum against him. Encasing my fist in a thick layer of ice to knock the rest of the way to the floor. I could hear the slight and sickening crack of his head as he made contact with the wooden floor. It was that sound that scared me that once again I'd gone overboard. The giant had laid there a little too still, too long for my liking. I crept over to him slowly, looking to see if he was still conscious.
I looked down to have a fist rocket up at my face. I honestly hadn't meant to do it but out of reflex I stepped on his stomach. The sound that came from him was almost like a raspy gasp and as far as I was concerned, he deserved whatever pain he got. My face was killing me. You don't hit people in the face multiple times!
Raven man stood up, his entire arm engulf in metal scales that stunned me for a second.
"Fucking Twerp. Iron Dragon's Scales!" He muttered before lunging forward. I missed another clash to my face by a hair.
"You- You're made out of metal!" I exclaimed in an earth shattering squeal
"I know that!" He huffed as he tried to hit me again and again, becoming annoyed as I continually dodged the blows and kicks that would knock me across the room and into a wall. His eyes were a dangerously glowing crimson red and I wanted no part in finding out to what degree his anger would sore. "Damn it!- Hold the fuck still!"
"So you can hit me!? No thanks!" I snapped at him, getting in one light graze of a shot before going back on the defensive. It was in the two seconds that I'd tried to gain some ground against him that he managed to get pass my guard. "Stop trying to hit me!"
"Stop picking fights you can't win!" He yelled back with an equally intense ferocity.
"Who said I couldn't wi- Hey! That almost cut me!" I yelped as one of his scales snagged over my skin. I skipped back from him quickly, checking my limbs for any more wounds. Quite a few cuts and bruises but nothing that wouldn't heal. I got distracted and Raven Man took the opportunity to finally land a hit. He got me on the cheek (for the second time!) and the force of it sent me flying back a couple of feet into the wooden floor boards. He just watched me with a satisfied smirk gracing that stupid face of his. I stood up with a growl. We weren't playing this game anymore, unless it was my rules.
A slightly demonic laugh slipped past my maliciously curled lips, "You wanna play like that? Come on pretty boy!" He did just as I'd requested, "Ice Dragon's Fist!" Ice fractals accumulated around my hand at light speed, gleaming with its speed. As he watched me, shock riddling his face, he'd stopped dead in his tracks even as I ran from several feet away from him. Ice shot from my hand and hurtled right for him. When it made contact with his chest, it knocked him off his feet with a huge huff of air knocked from his body. He regained his footing quickly but his wide eyes and stun had ceased to be forgotten.
"You're a-"
"Will you fools stop bickering like children!?" A giant behemoth thing of a creature suddenly appeared in the room, none too satisfied with the violence that had taken place in the hall. Silence reigned over my guildmates as if fear had struck through the a hundred times over. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be scared or just continue to be happy that the Raven Man had been cut off before he could finish his statement. I prayed, to who I don't know, that he would keep that small discovery to himself.
The giant, shadow black behemoths began to shrink down into the small Gramps that I had met over at the bar. That wasn't the same guy was it!? No, it had to be someone else. I slid into Raven Man's shadow and clenched the back of his shirt, using him as a shield. He glanced back at me but didn't dare say a word as the Gramps imposter took center floor. But I had no qualms with finding out what was going on, "Is that the same Gramps that welcomed me!?" I whispered in a quiet rant, wondering how the hell such a small man had turned into such a huge monster.
I watched the back of his head nod without a word.
"Listen up munchkins! I've got 10 tons of paperwork because you damaged almost every town you work in." He said looking particularly at one group out of the entire guild. Lucy, Erza, and Natsu were part of but the last guy, I had yet to meet. It was in the way that they all happened to be looking in the opposite direction and scratching the back of their heads that proved their guilt. I had become familiar with that feigned ignorance whenever so many of my missions went awry/ overly violent and destructive.
It was never my fault though! It's not like I was the only one to destroy an entire city! The bad guys messed up buildings whenever they went flying through them… I mean, I may have thrown them like 9.5 out of 10 times through the buildings but technically I never touched the building!
Yeah, I could definitely sympathize with that team. "Even still, we will not worry about the magic council. We're number 1 because we push the limits. We go beyond them in mind and magic like no other! That's why we're number 1!" He stuck up his index and so did everyone around. For the second time that night, Fairy Tail had been in an uproar for reasons that I loves to be a part of! They wanted me to be a part of their rowdy family and I was more than ready to wear the title of Fairy Tail mage and I'd be damned if anyone tried to tell me otherwise. They weren't afraid to show that they weren't that picture perfect family no one could ever obtain because they weren't.
I looked around to find Minx in her battle form standing beside another tall exceed just like her. She was smiling wholeheartedly, something I hadn't seen in a while. Her eyes were lit up like the 4th of July with excitement as she joined in with what I figured was the guild's signature signal. I turned and for 360° all I could see were happy faces, shrouded in scratches and bruises but still smiling when they held up their fingers and cheered with their beer mugs in hand.
This was where I belonged.