Fear-in-Cube
By: Melissa Yang
Erza glided home from school, as cheerful as a thirteen year old Fairy Tail mage could be. She hummed a little, and there was an unusual skip to her step.
Ah, my wonderful house is mine once again! And with strawberry cake for lunch, today, June 6, year X6666… wait… don't tell me… Erza squinted into the distance, dissuading herself that the box she saw was only a mirage. After all, it was a very warm day. Until she came closer to the front porch, which held a heavily decorated present box that was about four feet high. Hot pink letters spelled PRAK, which only meant one thing- Erza's adopted mother, Karen Lilica, a famous exorcist wanted to save another demon from the depths of pure evil. PRAK stood for "PRActice", with the "K" standing for Karen Lilica. Karen placed a strong spell over the house so that it had a strong barrier so nothing with evil thoughts could harm it, and it purified everything.
Erza sighed softly and poked the box with a sword and it exploded into petals. (Erza has the power to requip into an infinite amount of armor along with countless swords.)
"Ugh," Erza groaned as the overwhelming scent of roses attacked her. She sliced a few floating petals to closer inspect her new "client" (or so she calls them). Two deep ruby eyes stared right back at her. Long sky-blue hair tumbled down slim shoulders and a formal sparkling white dress.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Erza. What's your name?"
"Fear. Fear-In-Cube," the child's whisper sounded like melodious bells.
Seriously, why are their names so weird?! (Erza's previous "client" was a wind using dragon slayer, Aer Dragneel.)
"So, what's your magic? Mine's requip!" Erza glowed and her summer t-shirt and shorts melted into scale-like pieces of titanium. This armor, one of her favorites, she named Heaven's Wheel Armor. (She had wings of titanium too, and there was an uncountable amount of swords that formed a circle behind her.)
"I do not understand what you mean by my "magic". I am a humanoid that just gained consciousness and I… I… I… was used as a t-t-torture machine and k-k-kill humans, named by my creators "Fear-In-Cube". Would you like to see one of my mechanisms?" Fear looked down at her bare feet, abashed.
Wow, a humanoid that gained consciousness? That's almost impossible, but her state seems to be a little unstable. Maybe unleashing a little power wouldn't hurt… I hope!
"Alright, Fear! Let's fight each other and maybe I can help you! Don't worry- I'll go easy on you and just try to make sure nobody gets hurt!" Fear's eyes seemed to be on fire as she looked up.
"I accept the challenge, but I must say- I will not go easy on you!" Fear's voice seemed to have darkened into something sinister, not the lovely soft ringing of her bell-like voice anymore.
Eyes almost like a vampire, and looking like about six years old, I must say. But I am the strongest (and one of the youngest) Fairy Tail guild member and no one has bested me except the guild master, Makarov. Let's see how you do, child!
"I'm ready when you are! Bring it on!" Erza shifted into an easy fighting position. A midnight-black cube floated up from the depths of Fear's pale hands, about as big as a Rubik's cube.
"Twenty-sixth mechanism: Piercing Chain Type- "Iron Maiden". Curse… CALLING!" A queer magic symbol appeared near the cube and an iron figure pixelated into view, sharp spears sticking out of every single inch of it.
Interesting! Erza's purple eyes turned stormy as her red hair flew up, as if in a whirlwind.
The blades behind her circled, and she smiled at her opponent she sternly whispered, "Dance, my blades." All of the blades behind Erza flew towards the "Iron Maiden", but it was not strong enough to sustain the damage, and it exploded into shards of iron.
"Eighth mechanism: "Breaking by Wheel at Franc's". Curse… CALLING!" A large wheel spun quickly around, but Erza easily dodged everything.
"Pentagram sword!" A few quick slashes and a pentagram shape appeared on the side of the wheel and it, too, like the "Iron Maiden", exploded into fragments.
"Alright, you win, Erza! I already used the ones that weren't designed to kill people immediately. Unless you…" Fear screamed, a shrill sound, with the look of terror on her face.
"Save yourself…" She fell to the ground, sobbing, but suddenly became stiff. Sardonic laughter echoed everywhere.
Oh great, she saw my arm cut a little from a little piece of metal. How should I deal with her now?!
Fear's body stood up on its own, arms limp and head hanging, but eyes of blood and a mocking smile still showed sign of life: Fear's original form, before she gained consciousness.
"I am a humanoid, don't you forget, so I can't die easily myself and I have hundreds of more mechanisms inside my cube!" Fear mockingly said.
Ah, she just told me where her weakness was, and now Fear will regain consciousness!
"Any last wishes, Erza? It was nice to meet you…" Fear screamed, except now it sounded like Fear's first scream multiplied by millions of speakers.
"I guess now you have to deal with Karen's barrier, Fear." A sword appeared behind the cube, and pierced it straight through. The scream of the killer side of Fear rattled Erza's bones. Fear collapsed, into Erza's arms.
"Get better, Fear." Erza whispered softly. "Sorry to do that to you."
The next day, Karen Lilica visited Erza and Fear, to check on Fear's progress, but she sensed no evil. She walked in the house and walked into the bedroom, finding two girls sleeping peacefully. She just smiled and conjured up a few forms that said "Adoption".
"Titania, you will be stronger than me, one day, and I hope someone nice with accompany you. Seems to me that she's already here, don't you think?"