Prologue Part I: Zexion
Tenebrous Industries was a rather large, yet underground, company who expressed themselves as being a company that would take in the children left abandoned and homeless from Dark Events. Acnologia's secondhand destruction of a small island in the middle of the ocean, not too far from Tenroujima, qualified as a Dark Event. Upon Tenroujima's sinking, the resulting tsunami of the water displacement of the island sinking into the sea traversed across the sea and completely sunk another small island. The resulting search for surviving members from Tenroujima turned up no surviving Fairy Tail members. However, a young boy was found on a piece of roofing floating about 2 miles away from Tenroujima's location. Nothing was said of him concerning Tenroujima's event because he was later tracked back to the small island that was wiped clean off the map. Collateral damage. All that remained of the small fishing and gathering village was a few wooden support struts on the higher ground of the island. The surviving boy was handed over to a child services company in Fiore, whom was full due to the multitude of dark events occurring recently, handed the boy over to a small, newly developed company that was formed to help take in the extras.
So it was that Zexion Archfiend, as he was later named, was taken in by Tenebrous Industries. At only 15 months old, Zexion had no real memories of anything that occurred to his hometown, which resulted in easier emotion recuperation. Tenebrous Alchemy Industries grew it's reputation for pulling off miracles with other cases in abandoned childcare. Zexion wasn't one of those cases. Zexion just grew up, as any child would, innocent, joyous and carefree, until the age of 5. The original founder of Tenebrous Alchemy Industries passed away, and with it, the good-hearted purpose of Tenebrous Industries died…
Zexion's life had just become shadowed from that moment onward, forever changing his life. Tenebrous Industries unnecessary because the flow of the abandoned dropped off. The new president of Tenebrous Industries decided to change the company's main objective to something that he found fascinating, and a possible money-maker; Magical Development.
This wasn't part of the advancement in the already present magical abilities in a human being. This was forcing the fusion of the human with magic. Against the laws of nature, he proceeded to use the remaining children that were left in the custody of Tenebrous Industries to use as guinea pigs for his method of magical infusion, which of course, he hid from the press and media. Being a guinea pig was frightening, and painful.
I, Zexion was the premier child to be tested upon, and thus became the poster child for underground magical testing for the newly changed Tenebrous Alchemy Industries. My innocence faded, with my happiness torn from me, my life sent into shambles. I felt like a prisoner, living in fear each day.
They tested on nearly every part of my body. Each test would be the same, very inept use to surgical tools, no way to relieve pain. To emerge a magical force inside myself, in the Industries belief that everyone possessed a magical ability, but only a minority of humans awaken that magic from an emotional distress or life threatening moment, they were painfully forcing the magic to rise, by placing me at the points where I would be hanging onto life by a thread.
The industries had eventually tested on everything from my lower legs, replacing the bone and muscle with metal and wires, attempting amplify the strength of my legs, which failed. No difference was detected. They moved onto my hands, hoping to make them capable of crushing a human skull with a finger twitch. They replaced only one lower arm, my right only, learning from the loss of time and money with replacing both legs, with a high torque, high pressure clutching hand, the skin not remaining present as was the case with the legs. The lower arm from the elbow to fingertips was replaced with a black metal. Again, the hand didn't succeed in any strength increase. The Industries finally figured out that the nerves and signals from the brain could only go as strong the physically human possible. Replacing the body with mechanical parts would give no beneficial advancement to strength.
They moved onto things that needed no physical advancement, but gave the user some sort of advantage. They focused on sight. Late one night, I was called in for typical testing. Only to be strapped to a table moments after. Over a few painful hours, my right eye was removed. I imagined my screams of pain were heard throughout the underground facility causing the children to shake, whimper and cry. The children liked me. I always had to remain strong; couldn't give in to depression from what was done to me. The other kids saw me as a model of hope. A future. They never spoke to me, but from a distance, I think they aspired to be like me.
My eye replaced with a red eye with a slit for a pupil, similar to a cat's eye. It was the eye of a dragon. They were hoping that being infused with the actual DNA, or suspected DNA, of a Dragon would help in raising some sort of magical power inside me, but like with the other physical implants it failed.
All children in the Industries' care were forbidden from seeing themselves in a mirror to prevent the sight of whatever they had been doing to them. The depression led to one kid, after seeing himself in a mirror, led to him killing himself. This was a loss of money to the industries; one less guinea pig to test on. The industries forgot about the reflection from my new mechanical lower arm, now only acted as a functional paperweight. Zexion managed to see the distorted reflection and screamed out at how scary he looked.
This is what they've done to me…all they've done is turn me into…into this!
I was now was scared of myself more than of the people who did this to me. They made me into a monster. I went into a fit of rage and thrashed about his room, punching the white concrete walls with enough force to crack the surface.
Why? Why did they have to do this to me? I don't deserve this!
The lights above my head flickered at my screamed and maniac will. I let out one last painful, terrified yell as I closed my eyes and hoped it was all just a dream. The yell broke the light bulbs of the large incandescent bulbs above me. Upon hearing the cracking and fracturing of the glass upon hitting the ground of my cell, I opened my eyes and looked up at the lights. My vision was now multicolored. The terminals of the light bulbs glowing a bright green, the metal around it glowing a light orange color, the walls colored a light red. I looked down at my mechanical arm, it too was glowing a yellow color. This only confused me about as much as the situation I was in to begin with. However, with time, I learned later that he could now see the energy present in objects, or so I thought. Electrical outlets glowed bright green, stone walls were red, metals were a variety of orange colors. Through the next several months, I worked to figure out the power himself, and kept it hidden from everyone.
Several other tests later, placing my life in threatening situations time and time again, I kept my power hidden, not that it was worth anything in battle yet anyway. One day, walking through the halls of cells, I took note of each and every face that looked up at me from the cells. Each face had red color to him, little energy...little life.
Several months became years. They passed as I learned to control my power slowly as I sadly watched the faces of my fellow captives grow older and weaker, and lose even more faith in living. Each reported death from the testing tore me apart. I was the oldest, and strongest among them, and I wasn't doing anything to even attempt to free anyone, even myself. I was broken so long ago by pain and treatment. They changed me, my attitude, my form, my will.
The Industries were getting annoyed with my anatomical failure. One day, in a complete fit of rage at the continual failure and loss of money, the president called me into a small, white, empty room. I was scared knowing I was meeting the president of the industries, and not some of the technicians I normally met with. The president was facing away from me upon entering the room. A basic discussion began…
"Zexion, among the test subjects you are supposed to be the most promising given your experience here." The president said sternly.
"I understand that, sir." I said, still quite afraid of his reaction.
The president turned around to face me and replied, "As you're young you probably don't understand the business world, but I'll be short and get straight to the point, boy. YOU are my company's biggest and long term investment and I'll be damned if you don't start showing any promises SOON or you WILL be terminated when I see fit!"
I do not know if he could see or feel the fear in my face at that moment, but I was indeed scared for my life but yet I felt at ease before I responded. I let go a small breathe and replied in a neutral tone, "Sir, I understand that you are very upset and it's not anyone's fault…it's just not working out and it probably never will, not now and not ever. In business you're supposed to make money, obviously you're losing it."
What happened after was so fast I didn't think even I would remember it, but I did.
In an instant the president leaped towards me, landing a right hook to my head, jerking it to the side. The president jumped and twisted, delivering a roundhouse to my head, making me stumble sideways. Next was a hand to my side that wouldn't let go. It bashed my head against one of the wall several times. A splintering crack was heard and a body hitting the ground. I woke up several minutes later in a puddle of my own blood with a pounding headache and my clothes drenched in blood. Upon getting to my hands and knees, the president raised his foot to slam it down onto my head. I raised his metallic hand and caught his foot, gripping it enough to cause a bone to crack in the president's foot, using the other hand to absorb energy from the floor. I developed a small dagger in my left hand, while my right was holding the presidents foot. I looked up at the president, rearing back onto his knees. In that moment Zexion focus was made clear.
From the time he attacked, he made it clear that only one of us was going to leave this room alive. For freedom for my brothers, sisters, and myself. I WILL live through this day and I will stop at NOTHING for the power of that freedom!
I rose onto my feet, shaking from pain, and proceeded to mutilate the president until nothing moved. I don't know how long I was there puncturing his flesh with the knifes…but I remember that I left him in a pool, maybe an ocean, of his own blood. I left no part untouched. I was satisfied with my small piece of vengeance so I left to accomplish my next mission. One by one, I used my rage for the Industries to free each child, while killing anyone who got in the way of doing so. Zexion didn't speak a word as he stole keys from guards to free the children. Each child he freed followed him and assisted in freeing the others. I found it only fair that for the children who wanted to that they may have their own fair share of vengeance as well and killed anyone who got in their way. The children's smiles had returned, after thinking it was impossible to see them smile again.
Upon breaking free of the Industries, it was buried. One guard managed to hit a switch set in place by the second president to stop the evil that happened there from being exposed to the public. Therefore, no one knows it ever existed except for those whom were in it.
The children gathered around me outside after they escaped. It is then when I spoke for the first time. I told the children to stay together, and join a guild together somewhere. They all had developed magic from the Industries testing. Mine was natural, as nothing the Industries gave him granted him the magic. Most the children were the same way. Perhaps the children needed to be pushed to discover their magic. They may have had a point, but nearly killing them on purpose was not a way to do it, nor was replacing arms or legs or eyes.
The children insisted that I form a guild for himself. I refused, telling them to join other guilds and that I needed time to be alone.
"I am not Guild Master material... not yet. Maybe someday…no. I promise that I WILL be a Guild Master."
The children were sad I would need to go, but from time to time, a child from the Industries would see me, taking a rest in a city. I is happy to see they have each found lives of their own. That's what I fought for that day, for their smiles and their happy lives.
And so it was that I, Zexion began to wander around the world, learning and improving my own magic and growing accustomed to the life I wanted to set for myself. Someday, I'll try create a guild, if someone shows interest in joining a lab rat whose puzzle of life is jumbled and doesn't have all the pieces.
Sometime later…
An old man walked into a wooden building that had a dark and eerie feel to it. It looked very sturdy and everything looked state-of-the-art which one probably wouldn't expect from such a place. The man walked up to a counter with a piece of paper to the bartender at the counter. The bartender didn't say anything and just scanned the paper before signaling for the man to head to the back room. The man nodded and cautiously went to the back room and went inside. After he closed the door a voice was heard from behind the desk in front of him.
"What do you want?", the voice said.
"W-well, I have a request and I heard you guys are pretty good at this stuff s-so I came to ask y-y-you." The man said in an obviously shaken tone as he placed the paper on the desk.
The shaded figure turned around and clearly scanned the paper on his desk and spoke. "Hmm, I see. A mob boss. I'll do it personally but I won't be involved with the resulting magical gang fight after, unless you're willing to pay for their elimination as well."
"T-Thank you Master…." The man's voice trailed off as he didn't know exactly who he was asking.
"Zexion. Zexion Archfiend, and this…is the Aphotic Eye Guild."
Rogue: I hope you all enjoyed this little story of a story. Oh, where are my manners. Greetings everyone. My name is Rogue, well my friends call me that anyways. This story is one of possible four or more mini-stories explaining the history of each original character that is to appear in the main story.
Happy: Aye! If you get that far! =D
Rogue: Thanks for the load of confidence, Happy…
Happy: Aye! You're welcome!
Rogue: Oy…
Carla: Happy, stop giving him a hard time! He's already worried about flaming.
Rogue: You're not making it any better you know Carla…
Carla: Oh man up!
Lily: Carla, you could try being a bit less harsh you know…
Carla: *plays lightning soundtrack*
Lily: T-That's not fair! T_T
Rogue: Whose idea was this for you three to be here?
Happy, Carla and Lily: Yours!
Rogue: …Regretting it already. Now before I kill these three I would just like to thank you for reading and to please review. Until next time! Jaa ne~ *proceeds to strangle the three little devils*
Happy, Carla and Lily: *flies away*