Limping down the dirt road, I counted the jewels from my last job. Ten thousand Jewels. It should have been twenty thousand but half of it was cut as the cargo I was guarding was damaged. But how was I supposed to protect three train carriages worth of cargo from a gang of bandits attacking from all angles, all on my own!

I let out an exaggerated sigh and put the poach of Jewels back in my satchel, I should have gotten a bloody pay rise because of the damage done to my leg. I stopped to lift my loose jeans and pushed the bandages down slightly, the ice I made on top of the wound was stopping any more blood from escaping, it wouldn't become infected as I was able to clean and bandage it quite quickly, but it would still take at least a month to completely heal. putting the bandage and my jeans back into place, I continued down the road.

Since I couldn't afford any better medical supplies (or any of the hospital fees), my ice and bandages were just going to have to do until it heals properly. Which means no jobs until it's healed, which means no more money, which also means I can't pay my rent… And I'm already three months overdue!

"Oh shit!" I thought aloud, "I'm going to lose my apartment!"

maybe I could ask Natsu or Grey to come with me on a job once I get back? I won't be able to go on any jobs on my own with this leg. But Natsu's on a job with that new Lucy girl, and Grey went on a job when I left for this one. Maybe Erza… no she's on a job too. And so is levy. Come to think of it, a lot of people are on jobs right now, which means it's going to be quiet back at the guild.

So, not only am I going to spend the rest of the month recovering, I am also going to lose my apartment and be incredible bored when I get back.

I let out a sigh of relief and stretched as I entered the city of Magnolia. It had the usual Sunday Afternoon aura. Not many people, but those who were out were either heading down to the pub or were really, really tired. I guess I could count myself among the tired.

I walked to the apartment building, went inside and up the stairs and entered my apartment, slinging my bag to the floor and limping over to the coach to rest my leg.

"Don't get too comfortable," a hoarse male voice came.

I jump up of the coach and ended up sprawled on the floor from putting too much weight on my injured leg at once.

"How did you get inside, Mr Lavelle?" I spoke into my carpet.

"I own the apartments, Miss Tanaka," He replied, "I have a key for every apartment, and I think you are forgetting that yours is the only one not buried at the bottom of my desk draw."

"Please, Mr Lavelle, call me Haruki," I said, feigning my respectful tone as I stood, using my coffee table to support me.

"I am in no mood for your childish attitude, Miss Tanaka," He raised his voice, "my patience has worn thin and I must now ask you to leave. Give me your key and you have one day to collect your belongings and leave."

"What!" I shrieked," no, please Mr Lavelle! Just give me a bit more time!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that-"

"Please! just give me another few months! That is all I ask and I'll have the rent. Here I even have ten thousand of it now! Just give me time to get the money together!" I begged.

"Miss Tanaka! You have had more than enough time to pay, now you have one day!" He approached me with his small stubby hand held out towards me, "give me the key to the apartment."

"Mr Lavelle, please-"

"Give me the key!" He interrupted me.

I stared at him for a long while before realising there was no changing his mind. I reached into my pockets and handed him the key. He snatched it from my hand and left without another word. I just stood there for a few moments, taking in the fact that I was now homeless and had no way of wriggling out of this mess.

I found a cardboard box and decided to collect my valuable possessions. (I wasn't going to be able to stash a bloody book case at the guild.) I collect my favourite books and placed them in the bottom. I then placed my Jewellery on top along with a small ice sculpture of a warrior on a horse. ( I had a small ice lacrima in the centre that kept it from melting.) Walking over to my night stand, I picked up my ash tray and emptied out the contents onto the floor before placing inside the box. I then picked up my carton of cigarettes and my lighter and put them in my back pocket. finally, I picked up a picture of me and the entire guild.

I remember that day as if it was yesterday, even though it was four years ago, I was only fifteen at the time and it was my first year in the FairyTail guild and the first time I saw the blossom viewing festival. I told Grey, Natsu and Levi how much I wanted a memento to remember this day and they asked Reedus to paint everyone in the guild standing under the beautiful Rainbow Sakuras. They even managed to get everyone standing there as models. They all stood still for about two minutes before their unique personalities demanded that they move, eat and start fights. It was really quite amusing and is one of the days I hold closest to my heart.

I placed it carefully on top of the rest before using a cloth to cover them all. I still had some things I wanted though. I grabbed my back pack and threw it open onto my bed before throwing clothes into it, my toiletries and a small box of toffees I brought for when I get back. I zipped it back up and turned back to the box with my valuables in.

Moving to the other side of the room, I placed the box gently on the floor, and kicked a loose floor board in with my good leg. throwing the broken wood aside I picked up what I had hidden beneath it. It was a medium sized wooden box which had a broken lock on it. I opened it to examine the contents and make sure it was okay.

Inside was a small black book, a flawless diamond necklace and a picture of me and my parents. The Black book was something I hadn't studied in years. It was given to me by my father when he sought to teach me a lost magic, that has been passed down the Tanaka family for generations. The lost magic, was Shadow Slinger magic. It was something that I never used in battle anymore because of how difficult it had become and the fact that it was almost always looked down upon by other. But the main reason is that I just absolutely hated it now. But the power that came with it was sometimes very hard to resist. The thing is, Shadow Slinger magic doesn't just allow you to control the shadows. It lets you become the shadows as well. Magic power whiles using it is practically unlimited if you are able to draw the magic power from the shadows. (which took my father over twenty years to master). And with years upon years of practice, you can control the shadows in someones soul, manipulate their very being just by controlling their anger, hate or guilt. This was something I hadn't mastered though, and I hoped to never have too. The only reason I still practice on a monthly basis is to keep the side effects at bay. It isn't like any other side effects from lost magic though. The side effect of shadow slinger magic is that it causes a manifestation to form in your soul. If you stop practising at the level I am at (which is pretty high) you will no longer be able to keep it quiet and under control. And it will eat away at your soul until you lose the will to live, and take over. The worst thing about it though, is that once it takes over, you are still alive. you will be in the place the manifestation was, and you will look out of your own eyes, but not be able to do anything as the insane creature destroys everything you love whiles using your own face.

I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind and moved to the diamond necklace. The necklace had flawless clear diamonds woven together like a web, and at the centre was a large, black diamond. It was absolutely beautiful. And was worth enough to burn all of Magnolia to the ground, build it again brick by brick, then burn it down again just for the hell of it. The only thing stopping me from selling it though, was that it was my mothers. This necklace was what all I had left of her.

The last thing in the box was a picture of me and my parents. We were at the beach that day, and we were a family. I was only two or three at the time so I didn't remember it. But it had me playing in the sand, whiles my mother sat reading and my father sat next to her with his arm wrapped around her shoulders as he stared lovingly at her. I couldn't see my mother's face though, the book blocked the bottom half whiles the sun glasses she wore blocked the top. All the notable features of her was her jet black hair and fair skin. Much like my own. I had my father's brown eyes though.

I wish I could remembermore of my mother, her facial feature had long since slipped my mind since the day of her death when I was eleven, I still remember her smell though, she always used to smell of cherry blossoms and autumn leaves. But now she is six-feat under, and it was my father who put her there. My mother was the one who taught me my ice make magic and how to control ice as if it was as free flowing as water. But it was my father who taught me the lost magic Shadow Slinging. I didn't know if she had approved of it or not, or if she even knew about it.

My father had killed her, well… I technically wasn't him. He had lost control of the manifestation inside him after trying a new and dangerous spell. It went on a rampage, murdering anything in its path before killing my mother, then looking to me with those black empty eyes. Then disappearing. I had no intention of finding my revenge because there was no point. My father was gone now and was replaced by a manifestation. I couldn't kill the manifestation without letting my own take over. And I wasn't going to let that happen. Father wouldn't have wanted it.

I stared at these objects for who knows how long. I rarely saw them and whenever they did they brought back painful memories that seem to try to consume me. I didn't want to think like this for any longer though. I had made a life for myself, I was a part of the FairyTail guild and had they were all my friends. No. They were all my family.

I closed the boxed and wrapped it in a brown cloth and tied it with string. Before placing it inside my cardboard box. I taped it shut before hauling my back pack on and picking up the box. I picked up my satchel and threw it over my shoulders before leaving my apartment. I didn't look back. It didn't hold any specific memories that I'll miss being reminded of. It was just a place I ate and slept and occasionally accommodated Natsu and Happy. (even though they had their own house).

I slammed the door shut and was about to leave, before I decided to leave Mr Lavelle a little surprise. I stepped back (very far back) and placed the box on the floor before getting into a stance.

"Ice make, wall!" I pushed my arms forward and then spread them wide whiles slamming my right foot to the ground in front of me. The magic energy pulsed through me and the ice formed in front of me. I then picked up my box again and admired my handy work. A thirty centimetre thick layer of ice now stood between me and the door to my apartment. And wouldn't melt or allow anything to chip away at it for over three months. And it wouldn't drain any of my magic energy at all in those three months.

"What the hell was that!" Shrieked Mr Lavelle from his office up stairs. I suppressed my laugh and hobbled as quickly as I could out of the building and down the road. As soon as I was on the same road as the FairyTail guild hall I let my laugh escape. I wasn't long before the thought came to my mind.

Where the fuck am I going to stay? I thought for a few moments before the words escaped my mouth.

"Well… shit."