The world swirled around Levy, black and white flashing ever faster. She was falling and falling fast. There wasn't even enough time for her to scream; the air was sucked out of her lungs as the air cut past her. The fall seemed like forever even though she was sure realistically it was only a few seconds. But everything slowed. She'd hit the ground soon, she was sure of that too. The ground was hard concrete, unforgiving and cold. And she was just so so small. She wouldn't stand a chance in hell against it. Levy squeezed her eyes shut and let herself fall. There was nothing she could do but wait for the floor to meet her. This was it. This was how she was going to go- alone and weak. This was it.
'I'm so sorry Gajeel, I'm sorry I couldn't help you' she thought to herself.
And then everything stopped.
The sun was shining as Levy woke up. 9:03 her alarm clock that failed to ring read. She had slept in and the light yellow glow that filtered through her windows and curtains welcomed her to the day. Birds were passing by, hopping and foraging in the window box on the outside of her home, and soaring through the sky, not a care in the world.
Levy stretched, her hands in fists that stretched to the ceiling. She rolled out of her bed, rubbing her eyes and yawning. The girl swung her legs off the bed, her light blanket wrapped around her ankles as it fell with them, a book tumbling down to her wood floors. She picked it up and smiled- Fair Tail.
A classic in every sense of the word at least in her eyes. It was a childish story really, about dragons and princesses and love, but god if it wasn't her favorite. There was a whole other world in those pages, where magic was real and friendships were made of family instead of strangers. It was a landscape she had always dreamed of as a child. A story about a warrior guild called Fairy Tail. It was everything she had ever wanted. Gingerly she touched the cover, it was rough and peeling. Years of love and reading had done its toll, she knew she should get a new copy but she couldn't bring herself to retire it and besides, she'd never seen another one on any shelf . Levy placed the book on her nightstand gingerly and threw on a clean dress. The orange fabric was light and airy, perfect for the hot summer weather they were having in Magnolia right now.
She let her feet take her out of her bedroom, past the small living room of her apartment and into the white kitchen that she loved. It was rustic and small, the cream tile accented the worn white cabinets. There wasn't much in them though, since it was just her. A few dishes, bowls, and mugs for her tea was all she really needed. She didn't even have a dishwasher. Less plates and silverware means less mess right? she tried to reason when anyone told her to get one. She put her kettle on the stove and padded to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face.
She let the cold water run through her fingers for a moment and looked in the mirror. Her grey eyes were large and wide, and her blue hair was wild, as it usually was. There was just no taming it- no matter what she did it was wild and had a mind of its own. She pulled an orange headband on, at least trying to keep the most rebellious strands out of her face. She smiled at herself, happy with what she saw. She wasn't tall like her best friend Lucy was, she wasn't busty like her either, but she didn't mind. Her short stature was fine with her most days and she had curves of her own, though not as pronounced as most of her friend group. Lucy would tease her saying she should have drank her milk when she was young, Levy in turn would tell Lucy she must have drank too much. It was fine though, it kept her out of the spotlight, she wasn't beautiful like Lucy or Juvia or Mira, but she was cute and that was alright too. Less attention meant more time for reading she supposed.
A loud whistle sounded from across the house signaling that her tea water was ready. She ran to it and poured it into a thermos, and grabbed her purse from next to the door. She slipped her blue sneakers on, locked her door and headed to town.
The walk through Magnolia city was peaceful. The city was a merchant town. She had read once that it was dead set in the middle between two harbor towns hundreds of years ago and was the go between for the two town's residences. The towns didn't much like each other but each had something the other needed so they made it work. It was like Magnolia was their DMZ; no fighting allowed in the city limits, though that didn't stop many people. The folks in town were a breed of their own having come from all across the world to the trading hub. There were people selling their furs from up north, though this time of year they mainly sold leather goods since there was no need for such heavy furs in the middle of June. There were fishermen from the west selling their fresh morning catches, calling out prices to those walking past and there were crafters from the east, all brash and odd in their own way. And then there were the tourists from the South, they came to Magnolia from the lowest points of Fiore to catch glimpses of the scenery and tour the city. The city had its own flavor to it and of all the places that Levy had been it had always been her favorite, no other place could compare.
She walked with a pep in her step, waving to the merchants as they called to her from their booths and shops. Everyone knew the bookworm and in turn she knew everyone. Though the city was large and vast she was sure she'd visited every shop to find rare books. She had leather-bound ones from a kind fisherman, she had seal-bound ones from a one eye'd trapper in the north, and she had a great collection of fairy tails from a sweet old grandmother who she was sure thought she was a child instead of a young woman.
Levy stopped before a green shop, its old carved sign read "McGarden Books", and unlocked the door. It had been her father's shop before he had passed away. It was her pride and joy and though it didn't make much money it made her happy to have a purpose- regulars to the shop kept it going and well stocked. She put her stuff down and pulled the curtains to the large front bay windows open, letting the light come through the shop, illuminating the ever present book dust. No matter how much time she spent cleaning, there was just some things that you couldn't get rid of all the way. She had a beautiful view of the canal from her shop and often she didn't mind spending hours sitting at her front desk, a book in her hand, a mug of tea on the dark maple desk, and watching as the small boats went past.
As the day rolled on and the morning grew to afternoon people filtered in and out of the shop, books leaving with them, others being put on the shelf to take their new home. Levy looked up as the bell above the door dinged, a man in a tailored suit wandered in, his hands in his pockets. He was tall and lanky a mop of brown hair on his head. His eyes were sharp and met hers for a moment before moving away as he took in the shop. Something about him put Levy on edge- maybe it was the way he was slouching, like he was better than everything, or maybe it was the was picking things up and flinging them down without so much as a care. Levy put the pile of books she was categorizing down and went to the new comer, she had never seen him around before.
"Can I help you find anything sir?" she called to him as she made her way behind her desk, putting it between them.
His eyes took her in, roaming down his body, his gaze leering, and then back to her face. "Actually, Sweetheart, I'm in the rare book business, maybe you have what I'm looking for- I've heard you had quite the collection here. I'm looking for Fairy Tail, rumor has it you know where to find it." He leaned his arm on the counter. Levy knew it was supposed to come off as relaxed but she also saw it as the calculated move it was. Something wasn't right about him. And she sure wasn't going to part with her favorite book.
"I'm sorry sir, none of the older copies are for sale. We categorize them for preservation, they're not for sale" she told him matter of factly. Truth is, all the books in the store were for sale, she just didn't like him.
He made a tsk noise and stood from his relaxed pose, hands making their way back to his pant pockets and then back to the counter. A wad of money was curled in one of them, a rubber band keeping it tight. "Oh come on, for the right price everything is for sale. I've got the cash for it I assure you."
Levy rolled her eyes. "Incase you missed what I said, they're not for sale. I can't help you. Have a good day, sir." She took a book from her pile and started sticking it again, hoping he would take the hint. He stood there watching her for a moment before putting the money back into his pocket.
The man hummed a response and turned towards the exit. He opened the door and paused, looking back at the blue haired girl. "Nice talking to you Levy, I'll be seeing you." And with that he left, the door shutting with a clatter behind him.
Levy looked up from her books, her eyebrows scrunched. She looked down at her shirt. 'I'm not wearing my name tag, how did he know my name? Gosh I sure hope he doesn't come back. No means no, jeez. she shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, she wouldn't let it bother her too much. Magnolia was filled with oddities and even odder people, one more was just another piece of the collection.
Night fell slowly, so slow that Levy barely noticed it was dark until the dim streetlights outside hummed on. She was so engrossed in her book that she hadn't even registered the sky was now a dark shade of blue. Her last customer had left hours ago, leaving her alone in the old shop. Her clock's minute hand clicked closer to the 10pm mark. She stretched and put her book back on its shelf, saving her place with a folded corner. Levy grabbed her bag and keys and locked the store
The trek back home wasn't long, maybe a 15 minute walk, but the dark made it seem longer. There were very few people on the streets this time of night, and the water of the canal lapped at the stone edges. Levy scuffed her foot against the cobblestone street. She moved to the side as a man tall man trudged past her, their gazes met as they passed. His eyes were red, he had metal piercings above them. A gasp escaped her as their eyes met and it took all her being not to shrink back away from the man. She heard him chuckle but he didn't stop. Levy glanced back after him, she watched his long black hair swayed in the night wind, the light of the streetlights bounced off his tanned muscles. A black tattoo on his shoulder ate the light as it went over him- there was something familiar about it, but she didn't get a great look as he had passed. She shook her head and kept walking. Looks like Magnolia has gained two weirdos.
Her feet carried her around the corner, her usual way home. A man was lounging against the brick wall, light from his cigarette illuminating in the night. The red embers fell from it as he huffed at the end. Levy crossed the street from the man, Magnolia was a kind town but she knew not to be naive enough to trust a lone man at night. She sped up her walk as she passed him, keeping a tab on him as she went. When she got a feet from him she could have sworn she heard footsteps follow, she turned to find the man gone, she was alone in the sidewalk, it was like the cigarette smoking man had disappeared into thin air.
Levy turned back towards home, a gust of wind blowing past her and suddenly she was on the ground. Pain laced her head as she fell, she opened her eyes, not even realizing she had shut them and suddenly the man was back. He was standing a few feet from her, his burning embers falling to the cobblestone. They died as they hit the ground. Levy's mind was spinning. She hadn't even seen where he had come from, hadn't even seen where he had gone. He stalked forward, she tried to get up but her head throbbed and her knee hurt, she was no longer in the middle of the sidewalk but now was laying toward the mouth of the street.
The man walked into the light, she could see his face, her eyes widening. "I did say I'd come by again, didn't I, Levy? It's so lovely to see you." It was the same man from earlier in the shop. The one who had tried to buy her favorite book. But he looked different now, his before narrow eyes were now wide and bloodshot and his stance was no longer a facade of relaxness, it was rigid and taut.
Levy again tried to get up, she managed to get to her feet, shakily. The man was watching her, a ghastly smile on his face, it revealed spiked teeth that she was sure weren't there when he was in the shop. She huffed, holding her side, it hurt from her landing. Levy blinked and suddenly he was there, right in front of her, he struck her with the back of her hand, sending her flying again with a force that she could barely process. She tasted blood. She tried to look for her bag. My mace, i have to get my mace! Lucy had jokingly given her a spray can of the potent stuff for her birthday saying she'd have to beat those boys off with how pretty she was turning out to be. Levy doubted she'd ever have to use it but put it in her bag anyway. That had been three years ago. Her bag laid a few feet from her, the contents falling across the street, she could spot the little red can closer than the rest of the items, the silver of the cap shining, but if only she could reach it.
Everything hurt, and the man was in front of her again, pushing her to the ground, he grabbed the front of her shirt as she scrambled away, scraping her arms and hands on the stone. "Now, where's the book, little girl? I won't hurt you if you just hand the fucking thing over" he snarled, his teeth really were pointed. He was a terrifying monster, totally inhuman, Levy barely had time to process what was happening. He held her there, his eyes boring into hers, her hands still scrambling as his fingers laced into the front of her dress, it was starting to tear, his fingers were turning to claws right before her eyes. She screamed at the sight. What were once normal human hands were now slowly covering in hunter green scales, flickering in the light.
Suddenly her hand grabbed something cylindrical and cold. The mace! she wound her fingers around it and quick as she could sprayed the man, he fell back coughing and holding his face. He screamed, and so did she, as she ran away, tears streaming down her face
She scrambled, running for the mouth of the street, back the way she had come. Her legs pumped but she faltered, her foot catching an uneven stone. she fell, sliding and scraping to the ground, there was blood on the side of her face, blood on her arms, blood on her knees. Levy huffed but the world was going fuzzy, everything was turning black around the edges of her vision.
The man was up again, claws sticking out of his once normal hands and ripping through his black leather shoes "YOU BITCH!" he seethed as he came closer to her, as he neared he shouted something that Levy couldn't make out. Her senses were lapsing, failing her right when she needed them the most. She watched in horror as he charged at her, his bulging eyes rilled with rage. She closed her eyes and waited for the impact but it never came. Instead she heard a loud crack like metal buckling.
She cracked her eyes open, her eyes going wide. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was the man she had passed on the street. He was standing in front of her, protecting her. He had the man- thing, levy corrected herself, in a headlock. His arms were no longer tanned muscle but a dark grey color, they shone like metal.
He glanced back at her, their eyes met. His red to her grey. And then the world closed in around her and she fell into the void.